Inked
by lovelyxznv31
Summary: The ink may only go skin deep, but what its effect in someone’s life? When you tattoo a person’s name on your body, does that mean you belong to him forever? TxG story!
1. Inked, Chapter 1

"**What would you expect with a conscience so small,  
Heavy metal and mullets is how we were raised,  
Maiden and Priest were the gods that we praised,  
And we like having fun at other people's expense,  
Cutting people down is just a minor offence,  
And it's none of your concern,  
I'll guess I'll never learn,  
I'm sick of being told to wait my turn.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO  
SEPTEMBER 24, 2005. **

Troy Bolton's legs were working as hard as it could cope, a victorious smile playing on his lips as he looked back, noticing that the noisy black and white sheriff's car with blue and red lights on top seemed more distant than ever now. His dirty blond hair was constantly falling in his eyes, obliging him to flick it out of his vision several times. He needed all his senses working correctly now.

He was running and he loved the feeling of the wind against his face. Troy could swear his heartbeat was so loud that even in a hundred meters away one could listen to it – a consistent and noisy _thump, thump_ that was probably being used to track him. An obscure laugh escaped his thin parted lips at the same time one of his hands travelled to his ribcage, blocking the pain from his body as he laughed, breathed and ran at the same time. He could feel the adrenaline pulsing through his veins and it was so fucking pleasurable. Troy loved everything about it.

"Run, man" a distant voice warned him and he looked back over his shoulder, watching as the vehicle drove closer and closer to his friend's tired body. The annoying siren was echoing painfully through the dark night, but nor Troy or the policemen seemed to worry about interrupting other people's sleep. They were having fun playing cat and mouse.

"Shit" Troy muttered as one of the men dressed in black jumped out of the car and locked his friend between his chubby body and the wet pavement of the street. Fuck, he whispered quietly to himself, rubbing a calloused hand across his sweaty forehead, forcing his strong legs to its best performance. If he was caught, he'd be in big trouble so he had to run, as fast and as far as he could. It wouldn't take long till he got home.

He shook his head furiously, murmuring a few curses as he tried to work on normalizing his breathing. His legs were getting weaker and he was afraid it would fail him any time now. With every step he took his muscles contracted painfully and a groan of agony got stuck in the back of his throat. It was like his bones were compressing directly against the other, making his body tremble with every impact of his feet to the floor.

Troy looked back again and swallowed. The car was almost glued to his butt now. He could see the victorious smile that was once on his lips in the middle aged face now, as if he was congratulating himself for catching the teenager. He scoffed, like it was something huge to catch anyone when you had a car. If Troy was the one driving, he was sure the guy would be already behind bars. He bit the corner of his mouth, his eyes wandering helplessly through the dark street; he needed a quick solution to get rid of the tall officer that was after him.

He stopped momentarily, one hand flying to his ribcage again, breathlessly. He cussed loud, his large hands rubbing across his face in frustration. Troy was in an endless road and he could hear the sirens getting closer. His body wasn't obeying him anymore and as much as his brain ordered to run, he had no strength any longer. The car stopped brusquely and the loud noisy of the siren finally silenced. He would have to surrender after trying so hard. Troy slowly turned around, his eyes suddenly hypnotized by the ground. His cheeks flushed a tone of pink, partly caused by the running that seemed that would never stop, partly because he was embarrassed. Troy Bolton hated to fail, he wanted adventure, he wanted to laugh about making people look like fool and he wanted more trouble.

More than anything, he wanted to get through it without suffering.

The tall, bald middle aged policeman smiled darkly, his yellow teeth showing between his lips, except for one missing front teeth. Troy felt sick and the bile rose up in the back of his throat. Officer Jones walked towards him; the eight steps he was supposed to take to close the gap seemed to be turning into a thousand. It was like everything was in slow motion now; the minute he took to take to Troy felt like decades. Decades of non voiced agony.

"So boy" Jones said cockily, "Seems like you're busted"

**

* * *

**

"This is unacceptable, Troy. Your grandmother lives here, it's a small neighborhood, people talk!" Kate Bolton inhaled deeply as she stormed out of the Police Station, glaring back at her 17 year old son that was smiling at her with a playful smile, "Don't smile at me, Troy Richard Bolton. Can't you just behave for 2 weeks? Gosh!"

"Mama, come on. I didn't do anything wrong. I was just jogging" he protested, following her right behind, raising his hands in defeat to try to show his innocence, "I swear"

Kate sighed, turning back to poke her index finger to his chest, "Troy, you are almost 18. I get you and your friends drink now, I'm not stupid or naïve enough to believe you don't do anything when you go to parties, but you still live in my house and I still have rules for you"

"Ma, we're technically not home, so I don't have to live by your rules" he joked calmly, but his mother just narrowed his eyes, showing her impatience. "Alright, I'll promise to behave till we go home. I'll be a new Troy" he offered helplessly.

She closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. Kate looked up at her son, standing on her tiptoes to brush his sandy hair off his eyes. As much as she tried to be mad at him, Troy was her only child and it was impossible to resist his smile or his piercing blue eyes when it seemed so sincere like they were right now. She knew he was a great actor when he wanted, but she couldn't help but have faith in him. "I won't yell at you for drinking when you're at a party, Troy. I did the same thing when I was your age, but when the cops say it's time to go home, it's time to go home. Do you understand?" she cupped his face with both of her small hands, "and by go home, I mean you'll go directly to your grandmother's house and sleep, not argue with the policeman. Agreed?"

Troy rolled his eyes, nodding his head lazily, "Yea"

"Great or I swear I'll tell your dad next time" she threatened, but a tiny smile appeared on her face, "Let's go, get inside the car"

He opened the door and sat on the passenger seat, silently thanking that his mother went to pick him up instead of his dad. Jack Bolton would nag about him being irresponsible and all that boring shit he knew by heart now. Only the thought of receiving a lecture of the older Bolton made his stomach twist in disgust. His father could be such a pain in the butt sometimes. He didn't understand young people liked adventures - he was probably born 40 years old.

"I seriously thought you were going to be a calm child when I first looked at you," Kate made conversation as soon as she hopped inside the car. Starting the vehicle and pressing the gas pedal down, she continued, "You looked like an angel, Troy. And now" she shook her head, "You act like the devil"

"Ouch mom" he chuckled lightly, "That's mean"

Kate rolled her eyes, laughing under her breath, "And I bet you're proud you're like this, oh God. What did I do wrong, huh? Why couldn't you be like my friend Maggie's son or maybe a dork, a religious kid? It would be a lot easier, Troy. I'm tired of getting you out of trouble"

"A bible freak?" he grimaced, shaking his head. "You know you love me the way I am"

"I do, I had you 9 months inside of me. Thirty six hours of labor, Troy. I'm obliged to love you" she teased in a good mood, "You just don't ask to be loved, you demand it"

Troy laughed loud, patting his mother's knee, "That sounds exactly like me. I'm so glad you know me so well"

Kate turned left and stopped the car in front of the neighborhood's supermarket, "Yeah, I know. I'm so glad you're so helpful to your mother, though. As a punishment my beloved son, you're going to help me shopping for groceries and tomorrow, you're taking your grandmother to the doctor… at 8AM"

He let out a frustrated groan that was silenced by her soft laugh. Shutting the car's door he stormed after his mother. At least being there in Albuquerque had its benefits: everything was tiny and closer, you didn't need to drive miles to get where you wanted to go nor waste the whole afternoon to shop for food like back home in Arizona.

Troy Bolton used to spend two months every summer in Albuquerque, New Mexico until he was 12 years old. By that time, he began considering spending his vacations at home. The river and lakes of his childhood didn't seem quite interesting anymore. He loved videogames, going to soccer camps and just hanging with the guys from school. It was everything his grandmother's house couldn't offer him. She didn't have cable TV and he was not allowed to take his videogames there, mostly because Kate would nag about getting out of the house to breathe the fresh air of the nature. It sucked ass for a kid.

When the Sun Devils offered Jack a job as their coach at ASU, Troy found the perfect opportunity to stay home. It was simple: he loved sports and he didn't have to pretend he liked to go to his dad's work everyday of summer to watch the guys from the team practicing, because he truly loved it. Being the son of the coach made him famous not only in his neighborhood but at school too. All his friends - sports addicted too - would kill themselves to have the opportunity to go with him one day. Troy had a great reputation, he'd get to play basketball and he stayed home. It was the best plan to get rid of Albuquerque and it always worked.

This year though, his grandmother Olive was sick and the whole family went there for support. Troy complained, obviously – he didn't want to go there for a whole month even though he liked Ollie a lot. He tried to find a part job and get busy with some school projects, but by the time he got an interview, Kate had already bought his plane ticket to New Mexico. However, as ironic as it could be, Troy was having a great time there. His grandma's neighbor had a son his age and time was passing by fast, all because of Jason, his old Honda Civic and the parties they attended on the weekends. He couldn't be more thankful to his new friend.

"Troy come on, snap out of the trance and help me out" Kate elbowed her son and motioned for him to follow her.

"What more do you want me to do, woman?" he asked impatiently, flicking his hair out of his eyes.

"Get your dad some coke, please"

The teenager sighed deeply, like pushing a loaded trolley around a supermarket wasn't already hard work. "Can I get some chips?"

"Yeah, whatever" his mother waved him off, concentrating on the list in her hand. Troy turned on his heels, disappearing along the aisles, ignoring the fact his eyes were itching badly because of the lack of sleep. He was proud of himself and no awaken night could take it away from him. He had hooked up with a college chick, 20 years old and really experienced. If he licked his lips, her taste was still there. His back was still marked by her nails and teeth. His dick still had the smell of her pussy and his mind had fresh her loud moans. Troy had made her scream and beg for more and he could bet Susie, Julie, Tara or whatever her name was, never had an orgasm like she had last night. She would remember him for a long time and he liked being a mark, a pleasurable scar in everyone's lives.

Like his mother had said, he didn't ask to be loved. Troy Bolton demanded it.

Finding the coke and the chips, he made his way back to his mother, entertaining himself with a Hoop Magazine, drowning in the world of Bryant, Lebron, T-Mac, Iverson, Wake and Paul Pierce. His eyes blinked as he scanned enthusiastically the graphics, photos and new techniques his favorite sport in the world offered these days. As Troy walked, he was so deep in thought about basketball that he neglected to watch where he was going, suddenly bumping into something, falling over on his back. He quickly collected the bottle of coke from the floor and the chips, looking straight ahead, surprised that the impact made a girl fall down as well.

Awkwardly, Troy studied the young girl as she massaged her leg slowly, her dark hair working as a curtain to cover her face from him. She bit her puffy lip and looked up at him. As their eyes connected, blue and brown, he felt a shiver run down his spine. She smiled at him casually and he noticed she didn't look older than 15. Her long hair was up in a ponytail, letting him have a glimpse of her light brown eyes. As she fell, her pink summer dress moved slightly up and Troy was delightedly stimulated to check her perfect tanned legs and slim, delicate and gorgeous feet through her sandals. He licked his bottom lip, how he loved nice feet. If there was one thing that could immediately turn him on was perfectly sculptured feet and the girl he knocked to the floor had a great pair. To make everything better, her face was lovely shaped – she was definitely cute material.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention at all" Troy said, taking the opportunity to touch her bare knee as he offered a sympathetic smile. He frowned as his hand literally burned and his dick twitched slightly inside his pants with only a quick contact with her skin. What the hell was going on with his body?

"Don't worry" the girl smiled, standing up to dust off the back of her dress. Troy jumped up, smirking stupidly as she gave him back his magazine, "I often read when I'm in line, not walking around"

"Thanks for the advice"

"You're not from here, right?" she asked and he nodded, "I knew it… what you're doing in Albuquerque?"

"Visiting my grandmother" Troy's legs started moving involuntary, following the girl, "I'm here for a few weeks"

The brunette glanced at him over her shoulder, "Enjoying it?"

"It's fine" he shrugged, "I've been to a few parties, so it's cool"

That worked to make the teenager stop and she turned around, placing one of her hands on her cocked hip. Troy looked her upside down and his lower body burned with pleasure. He fucking wanted her for him. "Parties are always good"

"Have you ever been to one?" he asked flirtatious and she rolled her eyes, laughing amusedly, "I'm 17, going to parties is my thing. There's one tonight, if you feel like going" she grinned and looked back to spot a middle aged woman walking towards her, "I gotta go. Don't forget to watch where you're going next time. You never know when you'll run into a wall of bricks"

Troy still had a stupid grin on his face as he watched her run away, swinging her hips seductively in the process. He wetted his bottom lip with his tongue, running a hand through his hair, trying hard to make his brain work when she left. Troy wanted to kick himself for not thinking about asking the party's localization to her, but it was like he was having a stroke, his whole body was still petrified, amazed by the girl he talked for what? probably only five minutes. She seemed to be completely opposite to what Troy would go for, nice and sweet, but he was willing to be a good guy to her, if that meant he'd taste her before he went home.

* * *

"Troy, dinner's ready" he groaned as his grandmother's voice invaded his dreams and her soft hand patted his head delicately. He opened his eyes and rubbed his face as the warm smile of Grandma Olive became clear. "Can't I eat later? I'm tired Ollie"

Grandma Olive entertained herself by wriggling her eyebrows and broke into a smile, "Katie doesn't want you to sleep, can't you see it, son?" she laughed sweetly, "I guess it's another punishment"

He sighed, sitting down on the bed, holding his foggy, hungover head in his hands, "Shit, she's trying to kill me Ollie"

"Don't say stupidities, Troy. She's only trying to teach you to be… calmer. I was the one that answered the phone when Officer Jones called and he was very angry at you" she shook her head, sitting down beside him, "Boy, you gotta keep out of trouble. If you father knew it—"

Troy interrupted her, brushing his hair out of his eyes, "He'd kill me, I get that"

"Literally" she added with a smile. "Oh Troy, you remember me so much of your grandfather and it's not only because you have his name and his beautiful eyes. It's because my Troy was exactly like you when I met him. He was trouble"

"Grandpa had a great life. I guess that's not bad being like him"

"It's not son, but this is not Arizona. I live in a small neighborhood - people will talk and treat your old grandmother differently if you keep getting in trouble"

"I'll try to behave, Ollie" he sighed, "Just because you and mom want it so much"

"Thank you"

"Yeah" he whispered under his breath, standing up and offering his hand to her, "Let's eat. I'll sleep later"

"I don't think you will, though"

"Uh" Troy complained lamely, letting Olive lead him downstairs and into the living room. Jack and Kate were already seated and Troy found an empty seat along one side of the rectangular table for himself. Ollie sat at the end and so did Jack, and Kate sat across Troy. She gave him a meaningful look when he yawned, and the boy rolled his eyes.

"You woke up early today, Troy" Jack commented, passing him a plate of chicken. "What did you do?"

"Uhm…" Troy shrugged, "Just went for a run, you know, keep in shape"

Jack grinned, "That sounds good. You know the Sun Devils could use you next year"

"I already told you I don't know what I wanna do after I graduate high school, dad" he replied annoyed, serving a spoonful of mashed potatoes.

"I thought you liked playing basketball" his father protested, "You are 17, Troy. You can't work twice a week at the music store forever, one day you'll have a wife and children, you gotta think responsible"

"I don't have a wife or a kid yet" he said under his breath, clenching his jaw, "I told you guys that when I find out what I like to do I'll attend university, but not now"

"This is unbelievable. Are you actually hearing what you're saying, Troy?" Jack insisted, "If you never and I quote – 'find out' what you want to do, then you'll never go to school?" he shook his head abruptly, "This is bullshit"

"Jack, please" Grandma Olive asked this time, grabbing Troy's hand for support under the table, "when you get home and he goes back to school, you can discuss the situation calmly, but not now"

Jack scoffed, but nodded at his mother. He looked at Troy again and his eyes narrowed automatically, "One more year, Troy. That's all the time I'm giving you to decide what you want to do"

"Fuck off" Troy mumbled quietly under his breath, but kept his gaze on the food he was eating, actually pretending he was eating, avoiding any more conflicts. His parents, particularly Jack, couldn't understand that he actually didn't want to do anything, nor thought about being good at anything. Okay, basketball was cool, he was a great player but he didn't see himself playing for money. He didn't like computers, numbers or arts; truthfully, the only things he loved were drawing and writing, but yet, he couldn't imagine himself as a journalist. He didn't want to be a journalist.

Troy wanted to be irresponsible for the rest of his life and he knew nothing Jack or Kate told him would make him change his mind. Fortunately, working twice a week at the music store was helping him save money in secret for a while. He already had enough money to buy his plane ticket to Europe where he planned to stay for a whole year doing nothing. As soon as he graduated, he'd give his mother the vacations she needed, at last.

He'd give himself the vacations he needed from Jack.

Grandma Olive smiled at her only grandchild sympathetically and he couldn't help but return her friendly smile. The dinner passed quickly and before 7 'o clock, Jack excused himself and sprawled onto the living room couch to watch a game. Finding the best opportunity to approach his mother, Troy cornered her as soon as she was left alone in the kitchen, "Mom, you're still mad at me?"

Kate looked back over her shoulder and sighed, "No, Troy"

He smirked, jumping on the counter, watching as she did the dishes, "Good, cause I need your help"

She raised a single eyebrow, suspiciously, "that's never good"

"Well, it's no biggie… really"

"Promises, promises"

"Mommy–"

Kate looked at him, placing her hands on her hips, "Alright, what do you want?"

"Can you give me some money? There's this party I wanna go and–"

She interrupted him, "No, no, no and no. No parties for you tonight, mister"

"Come on mom, please"

"Troy you didn't even sleep!"

"I'm on vacations… well, on school license but whatever, I still have no school and it's Saturday, so no point of sleeping early"

"Vacations are for people that actually do something, Troy" Kate reminded him, "You're constantly on vacation!"

"I go to school home!" he protested, "Please mom" he jumped from the counter, touching his hands together to beg, "I met this girl and she's so cute. I need to see her again, please. _Please_"

"Troy…"

"She could be the love of my life!" Troy exaggerated, "The mother of your grandchildren and you know you'd love to have a grandkid someday"

Kate sighed annoyed, throwing her hands in the air, "30 dollars, that's all I'm gonna give you. And you're getting home before 4AM, agreed?"

"Oh, yeah!" Troy punched the air in victory, wrapping his arms around his mother and giving her a quick hug that raised her off the floor, "You're the best Kate Bolton. I love you so much"

"Yeah, yeah" she teased, waving him off jokingly, "Get out of here before I change my mind"

"I'm gone, uh, I'm so gone" he sang loud, disappearing through the door, leaving his mother with a smile on her face. Kate chuckled lightly, "I deserve it, I so deserve it"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO  
SEPTEMBER 25, 2005. **

Troy rang the neighbor's doorbell, humming a song while he waited for someone to answer the door. A guy, almost as tall as Troy, flushed cheeks and black hair connected fists with him and smiled, "'Sup, Bolton"

"Hey Cross" he greeted, stepping aside to let his temporarily neighbor walk into the porch. They walked to his old blue Honda Civic, Jason telling Troy about the lunatic lecture her mother gave him for getting caught by the cops.

"It was hilarious, man" he grinned lazily, gesticulating, "She was freaking out because of it"

"I know the feeling, my mom was like talking nonstop, so boring" Troy shook his head amused, "So where's the party we're going?"

Jason started the car and drove of their street, "Ah, there's this chick and she's throwing a party to one of her friends. They're cute and the music and food will be good"

"Speaking 'bout that" Troy rubbed the back of his neck, shifting in his seat to look at his new friend, "Do you know a brunette girl, brown eyes, cute smile… nice long legs? She was at the supermarket today"

"Ha, of course" Jason laughed sarcastically, "Girls with brown eyes and hair, cute smile are really rare around here" he rolled his eyes, "Please, B man"

Troy sighed, "Yeah, that sounds impossible…"

"So, how many chicks tonight? 3, 4?" he pulled over in front of a big yellow house and as they stepped out of the car, the loud music filled their ears. Teenagers danced on the front yard, some of them already so high they were lying down on the grass, laughing like idiots. The house's front door was spread, letting the two boys have a glimpse of the crowd inside.

"Shit man, my ex's here" Jason groaned, shutting his eyes, "And I wanted to fuck G so bad tonight"

"Who's G?"

"She's lives here. Man she's getting so hot"

"I'll fuck her then" Troy laughed, "Just show me who she is"

"Right" Jason punched his arm playfully, "I gotta talk to Mel for a sec, I'll see you later man"

"Ow Cross!" he yelled as Jason began walking away, "How hot is that G girl?"

"Really hot" Jason smirked, "Look for her inside. She's a brunette, brown eyes, cute smile" he laughed teasingly, "Good fuck"

Troy rolled his eyes, "Good luck with the ex"

Jason groaned again and he chuckled, walking to the full house, getting lost in the middle of the people that danced their souls off. Troy felt his arm being pulled as he stepped inside of the house and stopped walking, looking back at a dark skinned girl that wore a classy outfit.

"Hey, do I know you? I don't remember inviting you to my friend's party"

He slowly turned his body completely around, getting ready to explain he was a friend of Jason and when his eyes met the gorgeous dark shiny hair he saw earlier at the market. The girl was standing in the middle of the front yard, chatting animated with a short girl that used glasses. She had an open yellow mini dress that matched her olive skin perfectly and Troy had to hold his breath; for a nice girl she was showing too much body and he loved it.

"Excuse me" he said charmingly, pushing his arm free and storming after the beautiful girl with nice feet. Troy grinned big as he approached her and she returned the smile as soon as their eyes connected. The girl pushed her dark hair back so it fell around her shoulders and midway down her back. She licked her lower lip and placed a hand on her crocked hip like before. God, she was sexy.

"Look who it is"

"We meet again" Troy whispered huskily.

She nodded and giggled, "Welcome to my house"

"You're the G girl Jason told me about?"

"Hmm…" she played with a lock of her hair, "People call me G a lot, so yeah, I guess that would be me"

I'm so fucking lucky, Troy smirked, stepping closer to her, getting frustrated as the chick in stylish glasses pulled the girl he wanted so much to taste far from him. She looked annoyed as her friend whispered something on her ear and then rolled her eyes.

"I gotta go" she stood on her tiptoes to whisper near his ear as he shook his head, telling her he couldn't comprehend what she was saying. The fucking music was too loud and her voice was too perfect. For the first time in his life, Troy was hating being at a party. He craved to be someplace else with her, a calmer place that he could have her whole attention for himself. "I'll see you later, okay?"

He growled lowly, locking one arm around her waist to bring her closer. He was fascinated, amazed and completely addicted already to the way his body reacted every time he touched her. Troy wanted the feeling to last forever if possible.

"Don't go" he whispered pleading, "you like running away from me?"

"You're in my house now," the girl gently unwrapped his arm from her body and smiled softly, "I'm sure you'll find me again"

**"I don't wanna waste my time,  
Become another casualty of society,  
I'll never fall in line,  
Become another victim of your conformity,  
And back down.**"

* * *

_A/N: So yeah, my new story. Hopefully you guys will like it, because I've been working pretty hard on it. As you can imagine, the chapters that are dated 2005, are flashbacks. And uhm... I don't know... tell me your thoughts about it and if you liked the first chapter and stuff haha anyways, yeah, the G girl is Gabriella, duh. Take care and uh, thanks for reading Mrs. Someone, too haha sorry for the not so happy ending!!! :P_

_By the way, I don't own HSM or Sum 41._


	2. Inked, Chapter 2

"**Cuz you're a god,  
And I am not,  
And I just thought that you'd know,  
You're a god, ****  
And I am not, ****  
And I just thought I'd let you go.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO****.  
SEPTEMBER 25, 2005.  
**

Gabriella leaned her back against one of the walls of the living room, crossing her arms across her chest annoyed as she tried her best to ignore what the blond was telling from beside her. She had heard the same speech for two months now and yet, Jared didn't seem to understand she was no longer his girlfriend and that in fact, she didn't want anything with him anymore. He was already a closed chapter in her life, one that she still regretted very much.

"G, are you even listening to what I'm saying?" he asked in a high pitch voice and she wrinkled her nose as the smell of beer escaped his lips and tickled her nose, "Yeah, Jared, I heard you" she sighed frustrated, pushing off the wall to look him in the eyes for what she expected would be the last time, "Now you tell me something" she clicked her tongue, "Have you listened to anything I told you in the last couple of months? Let me remind you a few things, Jared. You were just a high school fling and I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore, I don't want to see your face anymore, so don't go to the tattoo shop. And more importantly, no, I didn't forgive you for fucking Susanna at my birthday party and I'll probably never forgive you. Do you get it now?"

"G, come on sweetie, you know I love you. Susanna was just an easy fuck"

The girl leaned on the wall again, shutting her eyes and rubbing the back of her hands against her face. God, Jared could be so annoying sometimes. She ignored his lamentations again, but it didn't make him stop talking, so she tuned him off and let her eyes wander around the party. It was incredibly fascinating that she managed to transform the living room on a dance floor just by removing the couches and the rest of her mother's furniture. Now the wild teenagers danced contently in the spacious room, shouting and jumping at the sound of the music, getting lost on the ecstatic atmosphere that filled the room. Gabriella smirked as she saw one of her best friends, Kelsi, take her glasses off, throwing it somewhere to rub erotically against a guy in the dance floor. She looked completely wasted and she would definitely regret it next day, but Gabriella wouldn't be the one to spoil her fun. They had an agreement of never interrupting whenever they were hooked or almost hooking with a guy. They were young, they were beautiful girls and they just loved to have fun. It wasn't a crime after all.

Gabriella's eyes caught his presence as he walked inside the room again, more confident than any other guy in town. Her heart accelerated and the palms of her hands became sweaty, obliging her to rub it against the sides of her dress. She licked her lower lip involuntary; her mouth had become dry for some unknown reason. It was the same effect he had on her in the morning, but yet, she still managed to play it cool around him. It was the first time she was flirting so openly with some stranger and she loved the feeling. Gabriella was a senior now and she was tired of being the nice and sweet girl, she wanted adventure. She wanted trouble and he looked like trouble.

The guy was walking around the living room like he owned the party and she loved it. Like earlier, she found herself amazed by his beauty. His dirty sandy hair was strategically dipped below one eye and even though he was using a simple blue V tee and dark washed jeans, he looked handsome. More handsome than every jock that went to East High School and used to drive the girls insanely addicted. Nor Jason, Zeke, Chad or even her friend Ryan could be compared to him. The boy was something from another world.

Gabriella grinned as his blue eyes met hers and he smirked, walking towards her. Girls turned their heads as he passed through them, making her feel extremely lucky to have a guy as cute as him interested in her. Thank God she had developed some body this year or else she wouldn't have anything to offer him, not being as short as a 12 year old girl and having the body of a child. She couldn't be more thankful for growing breasts, not that they were big, but they were there and it seemed to amaze the guys now. The shy nerd was turning into a woman, finally.

"What the fuck you doing?" Jared's angry voice made her tilt her head to the side and look at him with bored eyes, "I'm having fun?" she offered sarcastically.

"Are you sleeping with the new guy?"

"What if I was?"

"You can't! You're fucking mine!" Jared exploded, but the intensity of his movements made his body shake and, considering the tax of alcohol he had drank already, he almost lost balance and fell on the floor; Troy held him with one strong arm, his large palm of hand touching Jared's slender body to the wall, "Wow, if you don't do well with alcohol, drink coke man" he chuckled lightly and added as he collected his hand again and wrapped one arm around Gabriella's petite waist, "and by the way, she's mine now, so back off"

Her heart was pounding against her chest drastically, so loud that she was afraid he could listen to it. Gabriella felt her breathing accelerate when he claimed her his own as he rescued her from Jared. He smiled at her and she felt the force of his charm all the way down to her toes.

_Please not so loud_, Gabriella whined to herself, the ramming inside her chest only getting stronger as he touched her, instantly warming her body. His thumb stroked over her skin possessively as he backed her away from her ex boyfriend. Gabriella learned one thing that night and that was that she ached for the strangers' touch. Her body shivered and contracted involuntary between his strong arms, screaming for more stimulation, begging for the contact with his lips.

"I think he was giving you a hard time, huh?" Troy's gaze drilled through her body and filled her insides with nervousness and need. Her lungs and heart fought for control and with her insides melting, it was a wonder she found her voice again, "He's going to be so pissed off with me"

"I don't really mind, like I said you're mine now"

Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek, avoiding smirking cockily. She could feel the look of jealousy from the girls in the party at her, probably wondering how she winded up so lucky to have him tonight. She was proud of herself and she wouldn't lose the opportunity to enjoy it. "So you're claiming me as yours?" she flirted, expecting nothing more than his solemnly approval. Gosh, the way he looked at her was so powerful she couldn't help but feel so sexy and beautiful.

"yeah… at least till I leave" Troy adjusted his head into the crook of her neck, letting his breath sooth her shaking body, "let me warn you though that I tend to leave a permanent mark"

She fought the urge of screaming that she'd happily accept his mark on her, trying to look mature and controlled, "okay… I think I can deal with it"

"I'm Troy, Troy Bolton" his voice was huskily soft as his hand slipped on hers, bringing the beautiful girl to the middle of the living room that was transformed into a dance floor. His fingers tangled in her long hair and he offered her a breathtaking smile. His big hands were large to her body as he cupped her hips, liking the idea of touching her waist and hips at the same time. Yes, she was small, but somehow her body seemed to match his perfectly. Gabriella looked up at him and her deep brown eyes that looked so innocent, yet provocative drove him crazy. A crooked smile played on his lips as she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him the opportunity to feel her warm breath against his jaw.

Troy's pale skin contrasted with the olive tone of hers magically, as if they were made for each other, two half put together. Her soft fingertips started drawing patters on the nape of his neck and he bit his bottom lip to avoid moaning from the pleasurable sensation that was her touch on him. She probably wasn't aware of what she was doing to his body as she laid her head on his chest, sighing softly as her fingers slowly travelled up and down his muscular arm.

That was going to be the best fuck ever and Troy knew it, he could feel it. The way his body was already reacting to hers was simply amazing. He was not kissing her and he was only touching her on innocent places and yet, he couldn't be hornier than he already was. It was like his dick would explode anytime now. Troy stepped back a little, pulling his body slightly apart from hers - afraid she could get scared of him being hard holding her and go away. He couldn't risk losing her, not before he tasted her.

"I have to admit I thought you were cute earlier, but having a better look on you tonight, wow, you're gorgeous" he gushed, his mouth touching her earlobe. He felt her smile against his shoulder, "What's your name?"

"Gabriella"

"Hmm" Troy nuzzled his nose to her neck and she giggled slightly as it tickled her. Gabriella ran one hand through his soft hair, looking up at him with a warm smile, "I'm sorry about earlier. My mom was freaking out 'cuz she needed to go back to the shop"

He smirked seductively, "Shouldn't your mom be home by now?"

"She'll be out of town for the night"

_Great_, he mumbled quietly to himself, she was all his tonight then. Gabriella smirked at him and he found himself craving for more approximation with her. Lacing their fingers to avoid breaking physical contact and lose the warm sensation that travelled from her hand to his, he led her out of the dance floor and into the corner of the room. He turned around, resting his back against one of the walls, pulling her petite body to the middle of his slightly spread legs. Carefully no to touch his hard dick to her body or else he'd cum inside his boxers, Troy placed butterfly kisses to the side of her throat, "How should I call you?"

Gabriella held her breath as the proximity of her body to his made her wet between her legs, taking a second to control herself; she didn't want to show him how affect she was by his touch, how she wanted more and how she was willing to give her soul to have more, even if it was a one night only thing. "I dunno, call me whatever you want"

"You dunno?" he asked adorably, kissing her across her jaw slowly, "What about El?"

"I like it" she whispered as if her having a nickname made her more intimate and allowed her to lose control. She was allowed, wasn't she? Having a pet-name gave her certain benefits, right? She'd hoped so. "You're good at nicknames"

Troy smirked, "Not that I mind right now because I don't plan to let you go, but do you have a boyfriend?"

"I wouldn't be here if I had, don't you think?" Gabriella replied smoothly, closing her eyes as his mouth travelled to the corner of her lips.

"Definitely mine then, El" he cupped one hand to the side of her face, bringing her mouth to his, grabbing her bottom lip between his teeth before sucking it roughly. Gabriella breathed heavy through her nose as his tongue licked her lips, asking for permission to explore the inside of her mouth. She parted her lips immediately and Troy pulled her forward by the small of her back wanting to feel her completely, sliding his tongue in between her teeth, shuddering at the touch of their tongues. He could be damned right now, but he forgot everything around them, he even forgot he had a hard boner, but Gabriella didn't seem like she was going to complain to have his excited body against hers, the way she ran her hand up the side of his body as their tongues danced together, proved him she was enjoying as much as he was.

Screw the world, he just wanted the feeling to fucking last.

Troy's fingertips dug into her waist as he deepened the kiss, sucking on her lips hungrily, bruising her, but being more encouraged each second that passed by her sweet moans of pleasure. The background music seemed to be silenced as the minutes went on and Gabriella was delighted by the overwhelming attraction between them and the unknown sensations that assaulted her body as his hands explored her eagerly, his lips marked her skin and his heartbeat against her body, so fast and so loud, rocked her with every breath he took. It was like they were the only ones in the party now, getting lost into each others touch and perfection. It was the best feeling she ever felt so far. She was in heaven.

Someone's body collapsed on them like a midnight cold shower and they reluctantly pulled away. Troy quickly held her body tighter to his, letting the drunk teenager pass by them after mumbling a too-loud excuse. The party atmosphere was back now that their lips weren't connected. The painfully loud heavy metal screams, the intoxicating smell of beer and the mass of writhing bodies from the East High's students that bumped into them on their way to the bathroom was a huge turn off. Their heaven had turned into a hell.

"Shit" Troy growled lowly, wishing he could make everybody disappear and give them some privacy for at least an hour. He wanted her taste on him again and it was extremely irritating that every time he tried to kiss her again, someone broke them apart. He closed his eyes as her mouth caressed his jaw and placed a mouth opened kiss beneath his ear. "Do you wanna go to the lake?" Gabriella suggested, eager to be just the two of them again in that silent and pleasurable little world they were a few minutes ago. "It's not far from here"

He grinned as he nodded his head fervently, kissing her sweetly on the lips before pulling her out of the house and into the darkness of the night.

* * *

After a very silent walk that the whole time they looked forward and never to each other, they reached the lake. Surprisingly, even with the no voiced sensations, their hands never let go of the others', their bodies unable to break the contact and stop the warmth that travelled from one another. A line of the blossom trees, brightly lit by the round, full moon were reflected in the quiet water of the lake, behind them a stand of dark pine created a contrast between the calmness from the lake and the mess of green from the trees. It added a sense of mysterious and grand nature. The sky was a varied shade of blue, dark purple and grey; a lovely and romantic night to the beautiful scene that was the two teenagers walking along the edge of the lake.

The lake was calm and the lapping waters were slow and rhythmic, the night dry, soothing and very cold, but the strangest thing was that the wind had magically dropped. Gabriella led Troy to darkest edge of the lake, where the moon hardly shone, but the sky was clear enough to brighten the place with the light of the stars. She reluctantly let go of his hand, feeling the cold breeze blew touching her face immediately.

"I come here often…" she jumped into a dinghy, laughing softly at Troy's curious expression, adding smoothly, "to think" Gabriella raised her hand, calling him with a finger, being as seductive as she could. Troy smirked, quickly following her inside the small boat.

"My friend Nolan has a house nearby" Gabriella lay down and he copied her movements, lying beside her, "He lets me use the boat whenever I want"

"He must be a great friend" Troy stated, accompanying her eyes as she looked concentrated at the stars, probably counting it. He gasped as his body craved for stimulation, his whole inside burning with need as his dick forced its way out of his jeans at the simply brush of her arm against his. He squeezed his eyes shut, lying motionless, trying his best to calm down and keep the girl the whole night.

Troy always liked the idea of knowing what other people thought, because being inside of their mind would give him the best opportunity to know how to act around them. Now more than ever he wanted to have this gift, he wanted to see inside of her how she felt about him and what she'd like or wouldn't like of him to do. He was fucking scared he could do something wrong and lose the girl.

_Wait_, he thought to himself. _Be fucking patient, go slow._

Turning on his side, he supported himself on one elbow and ran his hands freely through her soft hair, just absorbing her beauty. "You are more beautiful than any fucking star up there"

A soft sigh escaped her lips and she turned on her side too, facing him. Her finger ran up and down the side of his face and Troy closed his eyes, feeling relief as she left a slight prickles trace lingering on his skin again. God, he was getting addicted to this feeling so much. "Thank you" Gabriella smiled, touching her lips to the side of his neck, nestling deep into his embrace.

"Hmm if I find anything I'll get a prize?" he bargained, brushing his lips against hers slowly, caressing with his thumb her waist. Troy smiled when she relaxed in his arms, nodding her head emotively. He looked up, narrowing his eyes at the sky, trying his best to find at least the Orion's belt – it was the only constellation he could concentrate on finding with her hand so teasingly close to his dick, stroking small patters to his stomach. It took him a minute to find the right spot, but he was sure when he pointed at it, "look right there"

Gabriella pulled slightly away from him, looking up at the starry sky, "very good"

"My prize?" he reminded her with a hint of optimism that was enough to make Gabriella giggle and feel weak on her legs looking at his adorable face. She changed her position swiftly, making the dinghy move brusquely. Smiling at him, she sat down on his stomach, parting both of her legs to rest on each side of his body. Gabriella leaned on him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, "what do you want?"

_I fucking want you_, the words almost rolled out of his tongue, but Troy blocked it before he could pronounce it out loud. He had the bittersweet taste of not saying what he wanted in the back of his throat, but he swallowed it. "Anything you consider a prize and you're willing to give me"

She bit her bottom lip, considering her options – she could be with Troy and savour what could be the best sex of her life or she could just go away, back to the party and to the boys she knew so well already. Gabriella couldn't help but think she'd had to enjoy what fate had sent her, after all, she would never go to the supermarket on a Saturday morning to help her mother shop for her work colleague's surprise birthday party and yet, this morning she felt like going. It had to be fate. She asked for trouble, and Troy showed up in front of her, knocking her to the floor, not only literally when he bumped into her, but with that dazzling smile and breathtaking eyes. Troy was completely different from every other guys she had ever met and she liked it and she couldn't let the opportunity go away. She knew she'd regret it later.

He half-sat, propping up on his right arm, studying her intently. She looked so concentrated, but yet so terrified he was starting to sweat on his hands at the possibility of her running away like a scared four-year-old. God, he had to send that thought out of her mind. Troy sat down in earnest with her still in his lap and rested his back against the end of the boat. For a second he lost track of where he was or what he was doing, hypnotized by her brown eyes, drowning in the beauty of her features as she held her puffy lip between her gleaming white teeth. He raised his hand and stroked the soft skin of her cheek, his heart accelerating as she leaned into his touch.

"Do you want to go back to the party?" Troy asked, silently praying she'd say no. His body was already too affected by the pressure of her butt to his dick; he craved for her so badly, in a very superior level he craved every other chick he slept with. He touched his lips to her earlobe, "El…?"

_There it is Gabriella_, she thought to herself as he whispered her new nickname. The intimacy she always wanted when she thought about sleeping with some guy. To hell she didn't know him very much, he gave her the quality of being comfortable and warm around him and that was enough for her. Decision made: she was going for it.

"No" Gabriella whispered, moving her hands to the bottom of her yellow dress and pulling it swiftly over her head. His mouth dropped open as the starlight shone over her soft skin, making the glimmering olive tone inviting and breathtaking. His eyes roved hungrily up her body, from her light pink panties to her swollen rosy nipples. Not only he felt excitement run through him, but he had also felt his heart skip a bit. _Wow._

Troy raised his hand temptingly close to her breast and he felt her shiver, "can I?"

Gabriella nodded helplessly and he brushed the palm of his hand to her left breast and as she moaned softly he felt the electric shivers run through his body, centering in his groin. Shit, she was going to kill him, he knew it and he could feel it.

His fingertips trailed down from her breasts to her flat stomach and she bit her lip to avoid groaning louder. Not only his hands drove her crazy but the expression of pure ecstasy that he wore, too. He brushed his lips slowly against hers and as she opened her mouth, he placed his hand to the back of her head, adding more pressure to the kiss. Troy sneaked his tongue out of her mouth and licked at her lip, sucking on her already swollen bottom one.

"so fucking beautiful" he whispered as he trailed away from her mouth and placed a line of sweet kisses across her jaw and down her slim neck. Gabriella felt her insecurities abandon her body as he complimented her with his words and loved her with his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his waist, closing her eyes as he began sucking on her collarbone, teasing the skin with his teeth.

"you taste so, so good" he mumbled against her skin as she tilted her head to the side to give him better access to her neck. Troy expertly traced with his tongue her newly discovered weak spots, caressing her stress away.

She cupped his cheek and gently pushed his face away, "take your clothes off" she ordered gently and he nodded solemnly – how could he deny anything to her anyway? Her gorgeous self naked on top of him, that sickly sweet voice he had liked so much, that beautiful moan that escaped her lips every time he looked and touched her. Troy would give the world to her if he could right now. Any-_fucking_-thing.

Troy pulled his shirt over his head just like she had done with her dress and she stood up, giggling as the boat moved again as he eagerly unbuttoned his jeans and kicked it off his muscular legs in a swift movement. He was so handsome it was hard to believe he was real and was really there with her... for her. Troy looked like a model, so perfect and so well sculptured, Gabriella knew she wouldn't get tired of seeing him naked. Never.

He looked up at her, never moving his gaze as he slid his boxers down his ankles and threw it on the pile of clothes on the opposite side of the dinghy. Resting his hands on her hips, he placed a kiss to her belly button. Gabriella moaned again and his stomach tied up in knots for what wouldn't be the last time in the night. Her tiny hands dug to his head as she ran her fingertips through his hair; his body relaxed completely, but his dick became as hard as a rock. Fuck, he needed to get inside of her.

He tugged at her panties with his fingers, drawing the material down her legs so she could step out of it. Giving a peck to her pussy, he helped her down to his lap again. She caressed his warm body, running her hands over his curves, trying to memorize every bit of him. The atmosphere charged like an electric current as she felt his thick dick rub against the entry of her wet vagina and as she looked at him, her heart tightened as she realized how painful his expression was. She bit her lip as her finger touched the swollen head of his dick, stroking it adoringly before sliding it inside her tight channel. Gabriella bit her lip to avoid screaming, but as Troy groaned and his expression relaxed, she knew it was the right thing to do – it was after all, what she could swear the most beautiful and erotic sound in the world. She wanted to hear it again and again.

_Slowly, slowly_, she nervously thought as she felt herself being ripped apart and her body stiff. Gabriella hid her face into the crook of his neck when the pain was too much and she thought she couldn't do it anymore. That was it, he was going to go after someone that actually knew how to act when the subject was sex. Dammit, all the hard work for nothing. She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain of his rejection to overcome her physical pain but it never happened, it never came, on the contrary, instead of pushing her away, Troy held her by the waist and helped her down, kissing her neck, shoulders and side of face to sooth her trembling body.

"You could have told me you were a virgin" he said softly, his breath and lips against her shoulder raised the hair of her body. Troy sighed deeply, "But now that we're here, I want it El. I want your virginity… I wanna mark you as mine"

Gabriella had never been so happy in her entire life. She was not only happy, she was ecstatic, glowing; he still wanted her even though she was inexperienced. Troy was still claiming her his. She nodded fervently, incapable of saying no to the handsome stranger that was now going deeper inside of her, passing through her barrier, changing her from a girl to a woman.

She squeezed her eyes hard as he began moving in and out of her very gently. The pressure between her thighs was so painful she cried out so loud he was obliged to hold her by her hips, just in case she decided to back off. He knew it would be worse if she gave up now, the pain would be more powerful than it already was.

"Relax it will get better" he brushed her hair out of her eyes, kissing her tears away with his lips, "your pussy feels so fucking good to me, Ellie"

_Ellie, _another nickname. She was loving it, she could get used to it.

"It does?" Gabriella hiccupped quietly, not sure if her body could really pleasure him on her first time. He nodded though and as the pain began to cease, she moved her hips shyly against his for the first time, testing herself. Watching as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose, she did it again and this time he growled huskily against her neck, giving her enough confidence to keep discovering her body.

Troy's moan echoed in the darkness of the lake and her legs began to get weaker as he moved harder and faster in and out of her, his fingertips bruising her hips and waist as he lost control of his actions. Gabriella arched her back and her body began trembling as a shockwave travelled down her spine. They kissed, but she quickly disconnected their mouths when she felt like she had to scream, the powerful sensation running through her body was overcoming her senses. Her walls contracted around him in a frenetic pleasure and he followed her right behind, exploding inside of her, filling her warmth with _him_, his sperm, his body, the pleasure she proportioned to him. The best prize someone could ever give to him.

"Thank you for that, baby"

"I'm yours now" she stated slyly, kissing his sweaty forehead. Troy looked up and his inside melted as his thumb stroked her flushed cheeks and the remaining of her tears away. He had asked her for a prize and Gabriella had given her virginity to him, it was the most precious gift someone could ever give to him. She cared more than anyone had cared about him and he found himself willing to be a great guy to her. He wanted to see a smile on her face, always if possible. He would change for her if she wanted, he'd be the best guy a girl could have till he left. It was the least he could do for her. It was what he craved to do for her.

"Forever" he grinned lazily, kissing her softly on the lips, "and I'll kill with my own hands the guy that tries to mess with what is mine"

She giggled sweetly, "I'll have your name on my body if you want"

"That might work" Troy smirked and she rolled her eyes, nodding her head teasingly. Gabriella laid her head on his chest, listening to his heart pace a peaceful beat again. She put aside all negative thoughts that were running madly inside her mind. She was seventeen - she could be irresponsible for one night. It wouldn't change her future at all. Gabriella just wanted to savour the great sensation that was being in his arms, letting the quiet lake sooth her body and soul. She knew she already felt too much for Troy, much more than she should feel for a stranger, but it was like she knew him her entire life and she was happy she said no to Jared so many times and waited for him to come to her life.

Should her emotions scare her? Yes.

Should she be afraid she might never see the guy again? Yes.

Should she regret having sex with someone she didn't know? Yes.

Was she regretting that night? Hell, no.

Gabriella wanted more and by the look on his face, he was willing to give her more.

Troy closed his eyes and a satisfied smile played on his lips, that was the best fuck… ever.

**"Though I've been unable to put down,  
I'm still learning things I ought to know by now,  
It's under the table so,  
I need something more to show,  
Somehow.**"

* * *

_A/n--hopefully you guys won't think Gabriella's slutty. She's just trying to have some fun, haha. Have you ever got tired of being who you were your entire life? That's exactly what was happening to her. She wanted a change. Thanks for the amazing reviews for last chapter and hope you still like the story. And uhmmm I'm trying to make the chapters long for you ppl haha... one day I'll write one the length of the Bible, jeez!_

_seriously... Thank you all, you guys rock!!!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Vertical Horizon lyrics.  
_


	3. Inked, Chapter 3

_A/n---Guys, once again let me remind you that English isn't my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes in my stories. Sorry about that, I'm working to improve the idiom very hard, so I'd love to ask that if you find any mistakes on the story, you let me know please--- I'll appreciate that._

_I have not only one person that review in Spanish anymore (Sorry Ratzilla, but you still make me laugh really hard every time you PM me lol), last chapter I had like two other people and I'm so happy about it. I'd like to say that if you read the story but don't know how to review in English, feel free to do it in Spanish… I am almost fluent speaking Spanish… so yeah, I'll probably understand it all. So, do whatever works for you, I'd be just happy to know your thoughts about the story, it doesn't matter the language. I mean that for French and Portuguese too. I'm working on my Italian so hopefully one day I'll be able to read and write without problem in that gorgeous idiom too, not right now though lol... but I'll get there. :)_

_Last thing--- this is a mature story. If you are not comfortable reading sex scenes, I'd advise you not to read the story at all... not the beginning at least. Let me explain you why: Troy was a player for so long I'm afraid he doesn't know how to show his feelings if it's not having sex. Gabriella is starting to discover passion and explore her body… so yeah, she'll probably be a bit eager. There will be a lot of physical relationship. The story wraps around the incredible chemistry that they share and the fact that they are kind of addicted to each other's presence. Obviously they won't be locked up in a room 24-7 – it is a story after all, not Adult Literature only haha I promise you that, but anyway, there will be sex, not the whole chapters, but at least in the beginning so yeah… If you're easily offended by that I'm sorry, but it's just how the plot is working in my head. If you still want to read it, I'll tell you what, it will be worth it. There will be drama and a cute plot in Inked, I swear. Be patient then and I'll cross my fingers you'll like it later. About the cussing… uh, sorry about that too, but it's just how Troy talks… lol I hope you still read it anyway. Thanks!!!_

_Enjoy the chapter, sorry for the long author note - I hate that too! - and see you all later._

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or the Chris Brown lyrics._

"**My only weakness is you,  
Only reason is you,  
Every minute with you,  
I feel like I can do anything,  
Going, going, I'm gone away.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**OCTOBER 20, 2005.**

The sensation she was experiencing for the first time was so, so powerful that she was afraid she'd faint or pass out of pleasure, happiness and satisfaction. It was nothing like she ever felt before. It hurt, itched, wetted, burned, made her body tremble in nervousness and yet, made her relax like never before. It was heavenly painful to feel the way her body was changing in front of her eyes, the way her body reacted and stimulated itself naturally with every new touch.

She felt her legs weaken, her knees shaking like jelly, her breath increase. Something weird was happening inside of her and Gabriella wanted to scream, wanted to get rid of it, but at the same time she never want it to stop. She bit on her bottom lip, slightly twisting her body when soft quietly moans escaped her parted lips. She was desperate and it could be heard in her tone of voice, the pleading purr that was every sound that came out of her mouth. It was pure need overcoming herself, knocking her senses out of her body.

It was burning, so fucking much she cried out. God, what was happening inside of her? Her stomach tied up in knots and filled with unknown sensations, it was amazingly different what was going on with her.

Her breath came in and out of her lungs rhythmically accompanying every tingle that ran through her, relieving the tension from her chest when she thought she couldn't breathe anymore. Gabriella felt a hot breath tickle her stomach and she quickly got frustrated. She was wrong when she thought she wanted it to stop - she liked the warmth that assaulted her body.

"No… back… gosh… back please"_,_ she protested out loud. She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt a cold thing moving inside of her again, a tongue more precisely; it flicked her up and down teasingly, taking her to edge of her reason. It was thrust into her and she arched her back, her body stiffing completely.

The pressure was too strong. It was intense, overwhelming, she couldn't take it anymore. Gabriella wanted it to end in earnest now, her whole body was trembling and she felt weak, she felt like she couldn't resist anymore. She wanted to scream, scream her ecstasy, still she couldn't. Something blocked her words, making it stuck in the back of her throat. Her body and the burning sensation seemed to be working together, taking her high, so high she got lost in a state of bliss. She felt the flames on her and she cried out between clenched teeth. God, it was killing her, it was ripping her apart, running madly from inside to the outside. Wave after wave crashed over her, the pace of it made her dizzy... she couldn't breathe. She was going to explode, period.

"No… Troy… hurts… baby, help…" she mumbled incoherently, her voice sickly sweet and needy. Her body sang her orgasm, her walls contracting brusquely. Gabriella arched her back, tilting her head to the side to scream into the pillow. "More… more" she pleaded weakly, her whole body contracting fragilely as she exulted in her release. The remaining of her climax was wiped away with the help of an expert tongue and now she could even tell he was caressing the back of her legs. _Oh, Troy... sweet Troy._

Gabriella was in control of her senses again. She was feeling the intensity of his every move now, the hot breath against her stomach, the kisses that were travelling up her body, the teeth that dug gently to her sensible skin. The bed groaned with the new weight on it, and she quickly found herself staring into his piercing blue eyes. Gosh, it was like she couldn't breathe again.

"Fuck" Troy growled darkly, brushing his lips on hers, "You have no idea how you turn me on when you cum to me, Ellie"

"That was…" she struggled for the right words, "wow… I… _wow_, thanks for that"

"I thought you'd like it" he smirked, nuzzling her neck and placing mouth opened kisses on her collarbone, "Relax now. Control your body and we can start all over again"

"Can we?"

"Yeap" he licked his bottom lip, before leaning on her to slide his tongue between her surprised mouth, letting her taste herself in him. "Your taste is sweeter than anything I've ever had. I'm afraid I'll get addicted to it"

She melted completely. Pulling his body to hers, Gabriella let his body rub against hers, using the warmth that was his skin to sooth her still too-affected body. She closed her eyes, sighing contently.

_Please, be addicted_.

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**OCTOBER 23, 2005. **

"Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?" Gabriella asked as she settled herself between Troy's legs, leaning back against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her shoulder, "I told you my parents went to Arizona for the weekend. They won't be back till Monday afternoon"

"What about your grandmother?" she sighed contently as he began caressing her bare stomach, his nose nuzzling the skin of her neck, "Ollie is kind of deaf… don't worry"

"Troy!"

He chuckled when she giggled, her laugh as sweet as candy to his ears, "she is baby… Seriously" his fingertips ran along her arm slowly, "did you know when I got to the tattoo shop to pick you up on Friday that Jared guy was waiting outside for you?"

Gabriella shifted in his arms to look back at him, "really?"

Troy nodded firmly before smirking, "I had to explain to him that you're mine now" he rolled his eyes, "again…"

"What did you do?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "just talked to him… Politely"

"Mmhmm" she laughed quietly, "I believe that"

Troy planted a kiss to the nape of her neck, brushing his large hand against her left breast. Gabriella moaned softly as he massaged her rosy nipple between his thumb and index fingers. She arched her back automatically as his hand went down her body, stroking the smooth skin of her inner thigh.

"Troy…" she whined helplessly, "as much as I like being naked in your arms, you promised me you'd help me study to my biology exam… That's what my mum thinks we're doing" she gasped as he introduced a finger inside of her pussy, "Gosh… study, Troy… we need… to… study"

"Biology is not fun, El" he nibbled on her earlobe but as he momentarily pulled away to dress off of his shirt, Gabriella used the opportunity to get rid of his warmth and crawl out of his arms. Troy was amused and at the same time shocked, as if he was fighting the laugh that wanted to escape his lips as she pressed her tiny hand to her chest, running from him like someone that was trying to escape going to Hell. Was she considering him her devil now?

Troy chuckled, raising a single eyebrow, "Ellie…" he looked down at the bed again, patting the mattress with his hand, "come here… don't run away baby"

She shook her head fervently, biting her lip, "No, no. I can't control myself when I'm around you…" she admitted, "it's scary"

"Baby… quit acting like a 4 year old" he laughed again, "come here"

Gabriella whined helplessly, shaking her head again with more determination this time, showing him how stubborn she could be. Troy couldn't help but find it extremely adorable like every other thing she did. God, he would never understand how she could be so sexy every fucking second she was with him and he was sure Gabriella had no idea the effect of her body language, expressions and huge brown eyes on him. She didn't have a clue how much affected he was every time. It was so addicting just looking at her, seeing her gesticulate, talk, giggle. It was his favorite thing now.

Dammit, he was turned on again and he could already feel his dick trying to jump out of his boxers. Troy's bare chest moved up and down painfully as he fought to catch his breath. He squeezed his eyes shut and a drop of sweat ran down the side of his face as he concentrated too hard on controlling.

Control, what that dumb word meant anyway? Someone needed to explain him, because Troy couldn't remember. He felt a sharp burning pain in his lower body and he growled quietly to himself. _Damn it, try harder, it isn't working,_ he thought to himself as cool droplets of sweat rolled over his six pack abs. His legs trembled and he took a deep breath, placing both of his hands on each of his sagging knees. He was on the edge.

"Troy?"

_No, don't fucking talk to me now. _His body protested, the animal smell of his sweat filling his own nostrils. Troy swiped his arm over his wet face and finally opened his eyes, looking at her puzzled face. So… fucking… sexy.

Heat radiated out of her and collapsed on him brusquely. The hot air seemed to surround him and he couldn't help but wonder if she could feel the same way or it was just her personal effect on him. Troy was suffocating in agony; he couldn't remember the room being this hot before she escaped from him. She was fucking teasing him and he liked it. He loved the cat and mouse game.

"Troy, are you okay?"

_Run and hide pet … _He turned his head, his hands moving to his shoulders. Troy pressed his fingertips to his muscles, trying to massage the stress and the frustration away. His breathe tickled the back of his throat as he let the air come out through his mouth. He flicked his damp hair out of his eyes, locking his gaze on hers again.

Gabriella was standing in the middle of the room, still completely naked, her eyes curious as she was probably studying him to try and know what was going on inside of him, with his body. Troy was freaking her out, he could tell it. He could hear his steady breathing, feel his gaze travelling over her perfect face. He licked his lower lip and she widened her eyes, finally realizing what was going on with him.

She knew she was his prey and he was ready to attack.

"Troy, don't even think about it"

He stood up and the warmth left his body in a rush, leaving a deathly cold in his bones. He would need her heat to feel comfortable again, Troy knew it. His dick seemed to get harder as the seconds passed and it was hurting like hell. He didn't even know it was possible to get this excited – it was like his penis was going to fucking break.

Gabriella's eyes drifted over his masculine features. His body was tensing like a savage animal, his back arched and his knees bent slightly, like he was ready to attack. Gosh, he was eating her with his eyes and it was so pleasurable, she loved to feel desired. Her temperature rose, heating her cheeks with a hot blush. _Concentrate Gabriella… please. You need to use your head now, _she thought to herself, knowing she couldn't give in so easily or Troy would know he could always get to her without trying hard. She knew he could, but he didn't have to know too.

"Troy!" she tried to sound angry, but her voice shook when he took a step closer to her, his eyes darkened and narrowed immediately. Gosh, it would be the death of her.

"Gabriella" he growled her name darkly and she felt a shiver run through her body.

"I'll scream" she warned, "I swear I will"

Troy stopped, taking in her body language. Gabriella's shoulders hunched and she tucked her head for a second and then she crossed her arms over her chest protectively, lacing her legs too, blocking her exposed body from his vision. Troy was unable to stop the smirk that formed on his face, he loved a challenge.

Time seemed to slow down as he carefully placed one foot in front of the other, gently contracting his muscular legs as he began walking slowly towards her. Troy was the one teasing her now – he was enjoying watching her body tensing up as he got closer to her. His heavy footsteps echoed in the silent room and Gabriella automatically backed away.

"No… Troy" She held her breath and he offered her a crooked smile as her voice began to sound needy at the first exhale of his warm breath against her forehead. "I'm going to scream… I… I swear--"

"Scream your lungs off… she's fucking deaf" Troy whispered as he bent his head to lock his intense azure eyes with hers, "you're trapped baby"

Gabriella shook her head and opened her mouth to protest, but was interrupted when his lips softly swept her own. Troy unfolded her arms, placing it around his neck as he forced her mouth open with his tongue. She moaned into the kiss, encircling his body tighter with her arms, standing on her tiptoes to savour his tongue inside of her mouth better.

He growled when she desperately pulled his boxers down, giving in to the passion between them. His hard boner brushed against her stomach and his breath hitched when the swollen head of his dick ached in need.

"Tease" he mumbled under his breath, devouring her neck when the air was needed again. Gabriella stroked his member up and down with one hand, the other running freely through his untidy hair. His fingers followed the line of her pussy, smoothly along her juice soaked lips. A muscular spasm rolled through Gabriella's abdomen and she bit back a cry as he inserted his fingers into her, probing her temptingly. "You're… the… tease" she whined in between moans, rocking her hips back and forth with every thrust of his agile fingers.

Her back collided with the wall as he held her by the butt cheeks. Gabriella wrapped her legs around his waist and grabbed a hold of his dick, "Inside, inside" she sang lowly as she rubbed the head on her swollen clitoris, sliding it easily inside of her.

"Shit" Troy moved in and out of her harder and deeper, bruising her body with his eagerness. Gabriella pushed her hips against his to meet his every thrust and he had do dig his teeth to her neck to avoid screaming. She tilted her head back against the wall and pulled his hair roughly indicating that she needed more. She was so, so close.

He attacked her bruised lips with his tongue, the sweat and the powerful radiation of their pleasure gluing their bodies together as two became one. Troy thrust his dick deeper inside of her and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she could swear it was like his penis was touching all the way upwards to her uterus tunnel. It felt incredibly good.

All around his aching penis he could feel her pulsing walls contracting firmly around him, squeezing him so hard that Troy cried out. He wanted his release, he needed it now. He brushed his lips against Gabriella's and she opened her eyes for a second, the gorgeous brown orbs locked with his blue ones and he felt like he couldn't breathe. It burned his soul so much he felt the ground undo under him.

"fuck… Ellie" Troy exploded inside of her at the same time her walls vibrated around him, taking her to her climax. "Jesus fucking Christ… El!" he bit his lip as she groaned needy against the side of his head. His legs trembled roughly and the pressure of his teeth on his lower lip made him bleed. The last wave of pleasure shot through him and he howled out of his orgasm with a mix of exultation and agony.

"Dammit" Troy's arms faint and he quickly pulled her to the floor again, backing off to his bed and collapsing against the mattress with a loud _thump_. His body was shaking with fatigue and satisfaction. Every muscle ached as he breathed, all his energy wasted with his attack.

His eyes shut as his exhaustion began to overcome his body. A cold breeze assaulted his body as he saw himself without her, forcing him to use all his remaining power to open his mouth and struggle for his voice again, "need you…" he mumbled weakly and his stomach tied up involuntary with knots as he heard the bed groan as she crawled on it, tumbling against his chest. Their sweaty skins clung to the other, the same way her damp hair was clinging to her neck.

Gabriella hid her face into the crook of his neck and placed a soft kiss to his skin, warming his body immediately. She snuggled into him and stroked his chest slowly; his stomach contract sorely as a husky laugh got out of his thin lips, "Tease"

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**OCTOBER 28, 2005. **

Gabriella stormed inside the hospital with Taylor McKessie, one of her best friends from school, trying to follow her pace, but finding it rather impossible. A nurse mumbled a lecture about her needing to be quiet when inside a hospital, but she ignored it successfully: her mind was a mass of thoughts, none of them making much sense at the moment. She was going to make as much noise as it was necessary to find Troy and no one could stop her, not even the grumpy nurse.

Gosh, all she wanted was to find him, to make her mind as blank as her shirt. "I need to--"

The dark skinned girl with short black hair interrupted Gabriella before she could finish her sentence, trying to calm her down or at least make her shut up for a minute while she tried to gather information. Taylor held her palm to her friend, indicating that she had to keep her mouth shut as she conversed with the grey haired nurse.

She sighed loudly as she stared silently at the opposite wall, playing with her fingers nervously. Gabriella just wanted to see Troy and hold him. She was worried, confused, afraid, everything was happening so fast she didn't seem to be accompanying it anymore. Troy's text was still fresh on her mind, so short but yet so needy that she had to skip class to be with him. It was what her heart was craving at the moment.

_I need you. _

It was all that took for her to abandon everything and go after him. Three powerful words that transformed her every time they were pronounced by him. Her head snapped back at her friend as she heard a sly 'thank you'. Taylor pulled her by the hand and into an elevator. The walls closed before Gabriella let out the breath she was holding to speak, "what did she say?"

Taylor shrugged, "Second floor"

She breathed deeply through her mouth as the elevator's door opened again after they were there for what seemed centuries. A large red '2' was painted on a white square hanging on the wall. Her heart skipped a beat as she walked out of it, stopping when her friend held her hand to inform she wasn't going with her.

"Why?"

"I don't even know him, Gabs" she explained wisely, "You'll be fine on your own"

"Thank you" Gabriella mouthed as the door closed and Taylor disappeared from her sight. Turning on her heels, she followed the indication to the waiting room. She turned left on the end of the corridor and her heart gradually crept toward a stroke.

Troy was standing in the middle of the corridor, leaning against one wall, his green hoodie and black jeans contrasting strangely to the white colored walls, doors and couches. He looked handsome, but it seemed like too much color for a single corridor. All the white was agonizing as if the one that stayed there for too long had a high chance of going insane.

He rubbed a lazy hand across his face, inhaling loudly before pushing off the wall. Troy looked so vulnerable and she hated it. Gabriella loved his confidence and that beautiful smirk that was constantly on his face. She missed it and she'd do anything to see it on his lips again.

Troy sensed her, he felt her there and as he turned around, his eyes locked with hers. His heart warmed instantly and he felt relief fill his body.

Gabriella bit the corner of her mouth as his bottom lip trembled slightly with emotion. It hurt so much seeing him suffering. If it was possible, she would take his pain away and feel it herself. She would be willing to do it if that meant he wouldn't be crying anymore. She was feeling so weak seeing him cry.

_No… smile to me baby,_ she thought to herself as her heart tightened. Gabriella ran to him so fast she almost tripped on her feet, managing to get her balance back as she threw herself in his arms. Troy held her securely off the floor and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek tenderly, "I'm so sorry"

"Me too" Troy whispered into her neck. He put her back on the floor again and she stood on her tiptoes to wipe his tears away with the back of her hand. He grimaced, he hated being so vulnerable in front of her, but he just needed to see her, that was why he texted her. Gabriella had the power to make him feel better immediately.

He cleared his throat, trying to control himself, but as she smiled sympathetically at him, he knew he didn't have to pretend he was fine to her, Gabriella understood him.

"Let your guard down, bad boy" she whispered into his shoulder and he stared at her, eyes blazing some unknown emotion. Troy finally sighed, wrapping his arms around her again and kissing the side of her head, "Ollie died in her sleep. Mom said she didn't suffer"

She nodded, kissing his chest, her nostrils filling with his masculine natural smell mixed with his cologne that drove her crazy. "That's good"

"Yeah" Troy agreed, his lips lingered at the side of her head as he thought. Gabriella looked up and stroked his cheek, "you're okay?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Can I come over tonight?"

Gabriella smiled, "I'd like that"

Troy nodded his head and kissed her on the lips. "Leave the balcony door unlocked" he ordered softly, brushing a thumb across her jaw before he turned on his heels. Gabriella sighed as she watched him march inside the room again looking so defeated and fragile. She'd promised herself that she'd do anything to see him smile again.

Anything.

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**OCTOBER 29, 2005.**

Troy knew why he was there, stepping inside of Gabriella's room in the middle of the night and she knew it too, even though they never voiced their feelings about each other. She was completely addicted to him already and he was absolutely enchanted by her, such an unknown feeling for him that never, in his 17 years of existence, liked a girl in any level. He used them and discarded them, literally. But with Gabriella things were different, he missed her when she was not around, he thought about her and he liked being with her.

When he sneaked inside of her room that night, Gabriella had a satisfied expression on her face, one that only belonged to someone that had a very good idea popped on the mind, something big that would probably make the person rich or win all the Ferraris' in the world. Gabriella had _that_ look on her face.

She kissed him hungrily on the lips before he could even greet her, obliging him to get involved in her happiness and forget his problems, like it was the easiest thing in the world. Troy liked the fact he always felt good when she felt good, it was simple like that. She could make all his pain go away with only a smile. It was like Gabriella was magical.

Truthfully, they didn't find necessary discussing about the future - it was all too boring, as if they were pretending to be what they weren't. School, university … they could have this kind of conversation with their parents or their friends. Troy and Gabriella tended to go to the uncomplicated – they had fun together, connecting by actions and that, at least now, was enough for them.

Gabriella didn't really mind it; she knew that even though she was enjoying her time with him, Troy would go back to Arizona eventually and their story would come to an end, so she was the one that suggested the non-complicated fling. It protected her from being sad and heartbroken when he went home. She tried not getting attached, but as the days passed, it got more complicated to get rid of him. Her body didn't allow her. She knew she was in love, but she decided not to think about it, not to let realization hit her.

_Enjoy while you can, one day he won't be here. _

She knew she'd be sad even though she thought she protected herself enough not to fall for him. Every night before she went to sleep, her mind would wander about what was going to happen to her when he was back to Arizona. Would they be friends? Talk on line? Never see each other again? In the beginning, the thoughts only made her a bit uneasy, now it was agonizing... so she stopped thinking.

He laid her on the bed, kissing her neck slowly before sucking on her lower lip. Gabriella giggled sweetly and he felt the familiar knots in his stomach. He placed a kiss to her lips again, trying to silence her. "Shh, El" Troy warned her, afraid she could wake her mother that was sleeping next door. He took his shirt off, leaning on her again to lick on her swollen lip, asking for permission to explore her mouth. Her tongue massaged his as she locked her legs around his waist, her nails tracing his back gently, tickling his skin.

His heart flipped inside of his chest and his mind that was a jumble of thoughts before he arrived at her house, went blank. All that mattered in the world now was Gabriella, her body, her voice, her touch and the warmth she sent to him. He could get used to being with her – he could even be with her forever if that meant he was always going to feel the way he felt right now: _complete_.

"Mum's out with her boyfriend" Gabriella informed softly, pulling his face closer by the back of his head to grab his bottom lip between her teeth, "I got a surprise for you"

"You do?" he raised a single eyebrow suspiciously and she giggled pleasurably when he nuzzled the side of her head, "A good or a bad one?"

"I think you'll like it…" she smirked seductively, running her index finger across his throat. Troy grinned and pecked her on the lips again, eager this time. Gabriella softly pushed him away by his shoulders, a serious frown forming on her beautiful face.

_No, bring back the smile, _he grimaced, rubbing his hands together to warm himself as the electric current disappeared from his body as her smile faded away. He needed to see her smiling. God, he needed it so, so much. "Firstly… are you feeling better?"

Troy swallowed, shrugging his shoulders, "I guess…" he admitted, "You make me feel strong"

Gabriella grinned again and his heart accelerated. _Thank God, _he breathed in relief.

"I had to convince Maggie from my mom's tattoo shop to help me out" she rolled her eyes at his confused expression and took off her shirt. "It will make you smile" she promised. Gabriella unclasped her bra, covering her breasts with her palms to turn on her side and sit down on top of her knees.

"What the fuck?" he mumbled worriedly as he saw the bandage under her arm, "Did you hurt yourself?"

She shook her head firmly, "take it off"

His right hand was trembling when he reached for the white gauze that covered the side of her body, right on her bra line. If someone fucking hurt her and she didn't want to tell him, he'd kill the person. It didn't matter if it would be her mother or that fucking Jared. He'd kill anyone that hurt her. Troy was nervous, Gabriella was shaking slightly as he touched his fingertip to her skin to pull the gauze off her body and that was never a good sign. What the hell was happening to her?

As soon as her body was free from the bandage and exposed to him, his knees grew week automatically. Troy's abdomen cringed and his heart literally skipped a beat. He could feel his lungs size up and his heart bang against his ribcage. He wetted his lower lip because his mouth had gone dry and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Jesus Christ" he breathed in between gasps as his fingertip made contact with the black flower that was inked permanently to her skin. The tattoo was medium-sized, dark and gray only, contrasting perfectly with her olive skin. It had the name Troy written in one of the petals of the rose. His pulse rose and he felt dizzy. She had written his name on her. She was really his now… forever. "Fuck Ellie"

"Do you like it?" Gabriella whispered as she dug her teeth deeper on her puffy lip. Troy leaned over and kissed the tattoo, devouring it with his lips and tongue and she closed her eyes, moaning softly. "Now I really have your mark on me… I'll never forget you, Troy"

He had an adorable unreadable expression on his face, a mix of adoration and devotion that made her stomach fill with butterflies. Gabriella was never the one to go for the clichés, but what was happening to them was absolutely unbelievable. What happened to her body when he looked at her like he was, with such intensity and lust, drove her completely crazy. She felt her legs weak, the lack of air to breathe, the palpitations of her heart increased… it was like everything she ever read about on teen magazines but never had the opportunity to feel. Now she could, she knew it was real. People could really click at first sight – that happened to her. She was a walking proof.

Troy pushed her back on the bed, kissing her whole face, "It's so pretty"

"You really like it?" he nodded into her neck, running his hand down her body to slide down her panties and shorts. Gabriella shivered as her naked body made contact with the material of his jeans. Her hand caressed his body, gasping in surprise when she noticed he was already aroused.

"Your fault…" Troy whispered, as if he knew what she was thinking, "… my name in you"

Gabriella eagerly took of the rest of his clothes and their naked bodies brushed against the other, sending tingle sensations through their skin. The familiar flames that warmed their bodies were easily recognized as lust this time as their hands and mouth tried the best to have everything from the other. It was pure and intense need.

Troy rubbed the head of his dick on the entry of her vagina as she lay against his chest, his six pack abs brushing against the small of her back, making Gabriella beg for more stimulation. He spread her legs slightly apart with his knee, positioning his penis inside of her. She eagerly pushed her hips back to meet his thrust and their loud moans of pleasure echoed together in the room.

"Are you sure you won't regret it?" he asked, tracing her tattoo with his tongue again and she shook her head strongly. Gabriella placed her hand on top of his that was still rested on her hip and laced their fingers. Troy obliged her to move at his pace, letting her have a glimpse of the pleasure she was proportioning him. Her voice was weak and sweet when she finally replied, "I'm positive"

They climaxed together and she snuggled into him, kissing his chest every now and then. Troy touched his lips to her hair, knowing it was time to tell her one of the reasons he asked to come over tonight. It was now that he would decide his future with her. It would all depend on her reaction. He silently prayed she'd react the way he was expecting too. Troy couldn't risk losing her… things were too deep for him to back off now.

"El?" Gabriella looked up and he continued, "They offered my dad a job to coach the U of A's Redhawks"

Her body stiffed at the possibility of Troy staying in Albuquerque forever with her. It was all she ever wanted and all she never permitted herself to pronounce out loud. It would prove that fate really brought them together for some reason. If he stayed, it wouldn't be only a fling – it could turn into something more… a relationship.

She wanted a relationship, she deserved one.

"What did he say?" her question was weak and he almost couldn't hear her. Troy looked away and smiled, he loved to tease his _pet_. Her fingertips started tapping on his chest nervously and he knew she was trying to hold her anxiety, but she was so bad at it. Dammit, Gabriella couldn't be cuter. "He said no, right?"

Troy looked down at her again and his insides melted. He kissed her swollen lips slowly, "he said yeah… I'm only going back home to get my stuff"

_OH MY GOD_, she squealed on the inside, smiling big as she wrapped her arm around his waist and nestled into his embrace deeper. _Please sound controlled and mature, Gabriella_, _please_, she reminded herself, and her voice surprisingly didn't shake with excitement as she finally spoke, "That's great news"

"I'll be going to Arizona tomorrow, but I'll go to your school starting next week" Troy smirked; they were going to be together for a long time. He'd have his Ellie and his warmth as long as he wanted. God, the feeling was great. "But hey? Don't even think of tattooing any other names when I'm gone, huh?" he trailed his hand down her breasts and stomach and she shivered, "You… your body… it's all mine El… for a long time, baby. You belong to me."

Gabriella giggled loud, feeling ecstatic, "No other names. I promise you"

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**NOVEMBER 1, 2005. **

"Hi Ry" she greeted discouraged over the phone. "What's up?"

"_Hey, gorgeous. You didn't go to school, are you sick?"_

She sighed and rolled on the bed to lie on her stomach, "I'm just sad. Troy went home"

"_Troy__?"_

"Yeah… you know, the new kid?"

"_Oh, yeah. The dude that was caught by the cops with Jason Cross?" he snickered lightly, "I never saw him, but I heard about him. When he'll be back?"_

"November 4th"

"_It's just a few days, Gabs. You'll see him soon"_

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**NOVEMBER 3, 2005. **

"So, your boyfriend is coming home tomorrow... are you excited?"

Gabriella grinned, wrapping her arms around her blond friend's neck, squeezing him tight, "He's not my boyfriend, but yeah, I'm very excited. I can't wait to see Troy again"

Ryan rolled his eyes, but wrapped his arm around her waist, "I wish you could show the same excitement every time I go to my uncle Phil's house"

"You only stay there for two days, Ry" she protested, pulling away to look him in the eyes. Gabriella loved his baby blue orbs. "It's not enough to miss you" she teased.

"Ouch" he shook his head, "that hurts, beautiful"

"You know I love you" she giggled and hugged him again. "You are my best friend"

The blond kissed her forehead tenderly, "Am I going to be introduced to that Troy dude when he comes back? You need my approval"

"You will" Gabriella promised. "You're gonna love him, Ry"

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**NOVEMBER 5, 2005. **

"_Gabs, why weren't you in school today?"_

"I was up talking with Troy the whole night…" she sighed, running one hand through her damp hair, "He couldn't come home yesterday… he's coming back tomorrow"

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**NOVEMBER 7, 2005. **

"so… Still nothing?" Ryan asked, shoving his books inside his locker. Gabriella bit her lip and shook her head, "Let me guess… he's coming back tomorrow?"

"Oh, shut up"

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO**  
**NOVEMBER 8, 2005. **

_Knock. Knock. _

Gabriella rubbed her sleepy eyes, rolling on the bed to kick her blanket off her body. Someone was knocking on her balcony door for so long now that she was obliged to wake up. She tried to keep ignoring the sound, praying it would be only a dream, but apparently it was not. Someone was standing in her balcony.

After certificating herself she was fully awake, she yawned, stretching her arms as she stood up and walked to the door. And there, standing in front of her in all his glory was Troy Bolton, with the most beautiful smile playing on his lips and his arms opened, waiting for his hug. She grinned, unable to contain the happiness that was filling her body. He was finally back, he was there for her again and now it would be forever. The balcony door was open before she could pronounce his name and Gabriella was in his arms, her lips kissing him all over the face.

"Hi baby" Troy greeted, fighting with his lungs to deepen the kiss when the air was already gone. Their tongues battled for supremacy as they gave in for the passion and the satisfaction that was being in each other's arms again. He took her back to the room and deposited her petite body on the bed before devouring her neck. Gabriella giggled, feeling complete again with him there with her. "I was afraid you wouldn't come back"

"Never" he hissed huskily, planting a kiss to her lips again. "I'll always be back for you"

She sighed satisfied and melted into his caresses, "Welcome home, baby"

"**You've changed my whole life,  
I don't know what you're doing to me with your love,  
I'm feeling all superhuman you did that to me,  
A superhuman heart beats in me,  
Nothing can stop me here with you.**"

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_A/n: Thanks for the lovely reviews last chapters. Review some more? :)_

_Take care._

_- M. _


	4. Inked, Chapter 4

"**She's got a pretty smile,  
It covers up the poison she hides,  
She walks around in circles in my head,  
Waiting for a chance to break me,  
A chance to take me down.**"  
**  
**

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
NOVEMBER 10, 2005.**

_Slap, slap, slap, slap. _

She looked down slightly and fixed her foot inside of her high heel again, frowning at the stupid sound her designer stilettos were doing. Still a bit unsure, she placed one foot in front of the other, continuing her way to her locker. She smirked as her heels hit gently on the floor with a suave _tick-tock _again as she walked down the empty red and white East High School hall. She stopped as the sound of soft footsteps behind her, moving fast and closer invaded her ears. The floor was jumping slightly underneath her. She looked back brusquely, tapping her heels briskly against the white ground, just to discover a slender freshman smiling helplessly before passing by her, probably late for class.

She rolled her eyes, the gentle reverberation giving her the illusion she was in a crowded hall instead of the ghost like East High. Breathing through her nostrils, she spun away, her gaze running over the walls, the ceiling and the floor of the school. She loved the school spirit, but was sure that white and red one day would drive her crazy. She felt dizzy every time she looked around too fast – it was like the colors hit her hard. There was a huge Wildcat paw adorned on the wall, right above it in black letters a sign that read 'To infinite and Beyond' – obviously motivation to the basketball team – it was the only truly supported team at EHS.

The halls were slightly dark and the hollow sounds of her footsteps echoed down as she made her way to her locker, not really minding if she was late or not. She had privileges, she was famous there and people knew who they should respect, even the staff. She was never afraid.

Her name was Sharpay Evans, after all.

She stopped abruptly as her heart accelerated. It was him, standing completely alone in the middle of the corridor. God, she was so happy she was extremely lucky. She would take the advantage of it to approach the beautiful dirty sandy haired boy that searched obliviously for something inside the blue locker. The guy was new at school, but was already in the basketball team after one of the guys saw him playing outside and thought he was good. He didn't even have to try out like every other person. In two days he got the status of the school's heartthrob and was more popular than she was the entire high school years. She knew it and everybody knew it too: he was special.

Troy Bolton was unique, one of a kind.

Sharpay took her time to observe him, grinning when he shook his head and muttered something about forgetting his homework before smacking the locker gently with a punch, cussing out loud. She wanted to run to him and certify him that he shouldn't be worried about it – people like him, like them, the popular group, they had privileges. The teachers wouldn't mind if he didn't have the homework as long as he helped the team to championship. Easy like that.

There was so much she needed to help him with, teach him about, but she was, for the first time in her life, even if it was for only a second, froze in the same spot. That was some crazy thing that was happening with her since the first time she saw him in Mr. Anthony class. She found herself shy for the first time in 17 years. Troy Bolton played with her emotions badly. Not only he was beautiful, nice and popular, he was mysterious too. She liked it and she was getting more intrigued everyday by the person he seemed to be and she only knew him for two days. Was it even possible?

A crooked smile played on her red painted lips as she watched him run one hand through his shiny hair that seemed to be so soft. She found herself wondering how she'd feel if her fingers tangled in his hair… she could picture herself playing with the strands of that beautiful mass of hair as she kissed him hungrily… _Ops, think straight Sharpay, please._

She took two big steps to him but he still didn't seem to realize there was a person watching him – he was now leaning against his locker, typing furiously on the keyboard of his phone. She prayed he wasn't texting any girls, she wanted him for her and Sharpay Evans always got what she wanted. Sharpay bit her lip as she stared at him closer and she had to clench her jaw to avoid her mouth from dropping open. He was even more handsome than she thought he was. His skin was brilliant, his untidy hair had a mix of gold to it and it was so strangely beautiful falling below one eye... She sighed; Troy Bolton had both of his ears pierced – a small stainless steel black onyx hung on each of his earlobes as if he was a rockstar or a model. For her, he really was.

The view of his muscular body was extremely pleasurable as well. She let her eyes wander his body up and down, afraid she'd need a bib any second. His black t-shirt matched his earrings and clung to his well sculptured torso perfectly. Troy's dark jeans rode low, letting her have a glimpse of his gray Calvin Klein underwear. On his feet – and she rolled her eyes at that – yellow, blue and dark gray Nike basketball shoes – one of the model she reminded slightly of Mike Jordan using on his glory days. Every other basketballer from school's team used it too. What was wrong with boys and basketball anyway? Did they all have to use the same sneakers? Did they all have to look alike? She rolled her eyes again, _what the hell is going on with you Sharpay_, she told herself. Troy was not like every ordinary guy at East High.

He was distinct, a different guy with the same shoes.

Just that; who cared about a guy's shoes anyway? She knew she only cared about hers.

She was impressed. Sharpay was going to get him for her collection of cute boys, it was already decided. She walked firmly towards him – it was time to introduce her perfect self for him. She had waited for two long days for him to come to her, but it never happened, he was always surrounded by people, his new followers. Sharpay now had the best opportunity and she wouldn't think twice before going for it. She was positive she belong with him, after all, they were the same kind of people. She was popular, he was too. She was definitely beautiful and he was as well. He was charming and well, did she have to mention she was too? Perfection matched perfection, it was always like that.

Troy Bolton was dressed so casually and yet, he had a God like aura around him and she felt like a Goddess. Her daddy told her everyday she was a princess and doesn't a princess need her prince charming? Oh yeah. The new guy looked like it – he might not be the one for her, but for that, she needed to taste him at least once. She needed to discover if he was or wasn't her prince charming. It wasn't time to be shy anymore. It was time to bring the old Sharpay Evans back.

"Nice tennis shoes" she complimented calmly, smiling seductively as he looked up at her, dazzling her temporarily with his light blue eyes. She swallowed quietly, trying to calm down, "I'm Sharpay, head cheerleader"

He smiled, "'Sup"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
NOVEMBER 11, 2005.**

"So you became quite popular as I can see" Gabriella Montez joked from behind Troy as he collected his books for his last class of the day. He turned around with a smirk on his face, already feeling the usual shockwaves that ran constantly through his body everytime she was around. Only around, not even touching him yet. Dammit, the girl was good.

He had talked to his mother Kate about Gabriella the night before as he tried hard to discover what the hell he was feeling for her precisely. He had pointed his symptoms: lack of sleep, soreness, dehydration, palpitations, anxiety and sweating. At first, his mother was scared, but after he explained everything to her, she calmed down. His lack of sleep was due to the fact he was always, every fucking second of the day, thinking about her. He thought about her way too much, he couldn't concentrate on anything anymore. The soreness was present on his body because - and thank God for that - their sex life was extremely healthy. Gabriella was eager to learn more and he was addicted to teach everything he knew to his lovely brunette.

The palpitation was a very common symptom to him already; since the first second he saw her, his heart began to act completely different – he was no longer preoccupied it would jump out of his body like he was the first time the sensation hit him – it was just her effect on him, the strong and loud _thump, thump_ he liked so much feeling and hearing now. He was anxious everytime he was not around her, counting the minutes and the hours till they were together again. He sweated like a virgin teenager every time she looked at him with her big brown eyes.

And the dehydration? He was losing so much liquid because Troy just drooled way too much staring at her. She was so fucking beautiful it was hard to believe she was real. That's why he always, and he meant that, had to touch her or kiss her, to make himself believe she was really there. He was so fucking lucky and he knew that.

After contently stating his son was finally in love, Kate had advised him to just ask her out officially if he liked her so much. And Troy liked her, he liked being with her. He'd pick her up everyday after school at the tattoo shop just to have an excuse to be with her a little bit longer. He'd sneak in her room sometimes too, because sleeping with his arms around her was definitely better than sleeping alone. It was boring being without her, his life had no meaning anymore.

As much as he found it difficult to voice his feelings, he knew that what he felt for her was different than any other girl he ever met. He was really falling in love, or he was already in love, he was not sure, but that's what he wanted to believe love was. Gabriella was perfect to him and he had to make sure she'd be with him indefinitely.

"Define popular…"

She clicked her tongue, placing one hand on her crooked hip, "favorite, approved, liked…" one single eyebrow was raised and she smirked, "is it enough?"

Troy laughed, leaning against the locker, "It's just 'cuz I play ball" he informed casually, crossing his arms over his chest, "People go crazy about jocks here in your school"

Gabriella stepped closer to run a fingertip across his jaw, "I actually think that's because you are very good looking too"

"Oh please…" he grinned, kissing the tip of finger and pulling her closer by the hips, "If that attracts you then I won't mind" he brushed his lips against hers ever so gently, running one hand through her dark long hair he loved so much. "Fuck, you are so beautiful"

She blushed slightly and closed her eyes, "I missed you yesterday, baby. I thought you'd come over to keep me company"

"I couldn't" he mumbled, tracing lazy patters on her hips with his thumbs. He slid his tongue in between her parted puffy lips, tilting his head to the side to get better access to the heaven like spot that was her mouth to him. "Hmm… I missed you too"

"Troy…" she whined quietly against his lips, pushing him away from her gently, "we're in school baby"

"Ellie… baby…" Troy smirked seductively and she felt weak in the knees, "Don't make me run after you to have a kiss" he warned playfully and she opened her mouth in shock, "I'd do it, you know that. I love to play with my pet"

"Your pet!" Gabriella snorted, shaking her head lightly, "You are one crazy guy Troy Bolton"

"Yup, miss Montez… crazy 'bout you" he nodded his head fervently, bringing her face closer again by the back of her head, letting his fingers ran through her soft hair as he grabbed her bottom lip between his teeth. Troy sucked on her mouth and her hand travelled helplessly to his earlobe, melting in his touch. "Your mom's still out of town?"

Gabriella shook her head, pouting, "She comes back tonight"

"Oh man," Troy squeezed his eyes shut, "I'll never forgive my dad for making me lose the opportunity to fuck my girl. Shit, that sucks big time"

"I know baby" she stroked his lip with her thumb, tempting him, "You could always come home when mum's asleep, though I think she might want to converse the whole night. She'll probably still be excited about the trip to Vegas"

He opened his eyes and looked up, "Dammit"

Gabriella giggled softly as she laid her on his chest, her delicate fingertips running up and down his arm. Troy wrapped his arms around her tightly, feeling how her touch teased his skin as if tingles erupted from his inside to his outside. He brushed his lips to the top of her head and sighed. He wanted her and he wanted to feel like this forever. Troy knew it was time to change their relationship from fling to something serious, his mother was absolutely correct. If he liked Ellie so much, he had to make sure he wouldn't lose her, never. He was pretty much possessive with everything he had and with Gabriella, things weren't different, on the contrary, it was stronger than ever. He was more possessive about her than any other thing he had his entire life.

That was it. Troy Bolton was officially whipped and out of the market. He finally only had eyes for one girl. He wanted Gabriella Montez and no one else. It was like his body and heart was finally complete, he no longer needed to score every other chick just to feel good.

"Hey El?" her big brown eyes looked at him curiously and he felt his hands get sweaty automatically. He wipped his hand on the side of his jeans and stroked the side of her beautiful face, "There's this party tonight… the guys from the team are throwing it in my honor" he laughed cockily and added, "yeah… After two days"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, but a small smile formed on her kissable lips. Troy grinned and brushed his lips against hers very quickly, "I need my girlfriend there with me"

Her eyes blinked at the sound of the word girlfriend rolling out of his tongue. Was it real? God, she hoped so. "Girlfriend…?"

"Yea" Troy rubbed the back of his neck, still holding her securely with one arm, "I mean, it's pretty obvious I'm falling for you Ellie and I'm not going anywhere anymore—"

She swallowed and pulled slightly away from him as her heart began to accelerate to hysterics. _Gosh, stop beating so loud and so strong_, she pleaded to her body, afraid he could feel herself hyperventilating. Why her body had to embarrass her every time he was around? That was so unfair.

"And I know it's pretty early to start things, but I don't plan to let you run away from me, never. I like you way too much and well…" he shrugged his shoulders, "You already have my name on your body, so that means you belong to me forever… so I was talking to my mom last night and she made me think about it, and I was like, 'why not?' and uh," he grimaced nervously, "Did I tell you I like you a lot?"

Gabriella giggled. He was so adorable when he was nervous… Gosh, how she loved the guy!

"The thing is… I don't know how to do it, to ask you to be my girlfriend" he admitted, wrapping the other arm that was still rubbing his neck around her waist again, "but I promise I'll always be around and never, ever hurt you if you say yeah" Troy released a breath he was holding through his mouth, "'Cuz you know I want you to be my girl officially… and I don't take no as an answer… and fuck, I'm rambling… I suck at it, can't you see it?" he hid his face into her hair, shutting his eyes hard, "Just fuck… I need you so much, please say yeah"

She bit her lip to avoid smiling. "Hmm…" she burst into a fit of giggles as he looked at her with a frown of worry on his gorgeous face, "Of course I say yes. I'd love to be your girlfriend"

Troy breathed in relief, a huge grin forming on his lips as his happiness sunk in, "Great, that's fucking great. So you're coming to the party with me tonight… as my girlfriend?"

"I don't think I can Troy" Gabriella looked down and captured his large hand to play with his fingers, "Mum wants me home tonight. She said she is missing me"

"Please baby"

"I really can't" her smile faded away and her mouth curled down in disappointment, "Sorry"

"Alright, don't need to stop that beautiful smile though" he sighed, but tickled the corner of her mouth with his knuckle, making her grin again. God he loved the effect of her smile on him. "I'll stay home too"

"You can go baby. I trust you with my whole heart"

"Don't you mind?"

She shook her head fervently, "I know you'll never hurt me"

"I'd never, Ellie…" Troy promised solemnly, "I rather die than hurt you"

* * *

"Baby… I gotta go" Troy whispered under her ear as he pressed a sloppy kiss on her earlobe. Gabriella's small hand traced down the nape of his neck to the small of his bare back and he shivered involuntary. The natural heat of her body surrounded him and he wanted nothing more to rub against her to warm himself as well… he always felt so cold.

"Your mom will be home any time now Ellie--" he tried to be reasonable, pecking her on the lips to push away from her and avoid the temptation that was his new girlfriend moaning softly beneath him. He knew it wasn't a good idea to meet, for the first time, her mother while he was almost naked on top of her only daughter. Gabriella used to tell him she was very modern, but he was sure she wouldn't like to see the way her daughter's dress was pulled up and his fingers lingered on the hem of her panties.

Troy gasped when she innocently caressed his six pack abs before her agile hand moved to the front of his pants, teasing his manhood. She burned him as usual and he could literally feel the blood rushing through the base of his dick to the head of it. "Oh fuck, don't go there baby"

"We still have time, Troy" Gabriella whispered seductively. The sound of his zip being undone was silenced by the loud groan that escaped his lips, coming powerful from the back of his throat as her hand slid inside his jeans and into his boxers. "Don't go… we got time"

"Fuck El, you're trying to kill me, aren't you?" Troy's voice had become strained as he breathed her in, helping her to pull his jeans and boxers down his ankles. She sucked on his neck and stroked his dick temptingly up and down, as if she was teasing him. He growled darkly as he understood where she was taking him to, she had learned it too well. "I'm the fucking mouse now, right?"

"My beautiful pet" she giggled softly and he got so excited he almost cum with her words. He liked the game and she was playing it perfectly. Gabriella knew he was enjoying the feeling of being her prey now, he saw it in her eyes. God, the girl would drive him insane one day, literally. She pushed him off her swiftly and rolled over, just to sit on his thighs and rock her hips back and forth, rubbing his hard boner against her soaked panties.

They became breathlessly as their emotions couldn't settle peacefully inside their bodies because it seemed to be too much, so strong and powerful for them to handle. Gabriella bit her puffy lip and pulled her panties to the side, letting Troy slid his thick member inside of her. Gosh, she wanted it all inside.

She closed her eyes and they moaned together, so loud it echoed in the darkness of her purple walled room. Two voices became one as they fought with the sensations their bodies proportioned to them, fought for control of something so uncontrollable like their relationship was. Gabriella rode his hard dick slowly at first, but gradually went faster. She whined in protest and satisfaction, like every time he got inside of her and it seemed that her tunnel couldn't fit him. It fucking fit perfectly.

Troy's hands travelled to the sides of her body, rocking his hips up and down to meet her every thrust inside of him, letting his fingertips bruise her already marked hips and stomach as they loved each other one more time.

"Let me see it… take your dress off, baby" he asked urgently and she knew what he wanted so much. She caressed down her body with her hands and he groaned darkly, more than ever when she got to the bottom of her dress to pull it over her head. Her round and firm breasts bounced with every new penetration, the light coming from the street reflecting every perfect curve as she shook her hips on a much faster rhythm than before.

He half-sat still inside of her, closing his mouth around her nipple to suck on it gently. Gabriella moaned louder, digging her nails to his shoulder roughly. "Baby… oh, baby" Troy whispered against her body, his large hand cupping the side of her body, caressing his name on her with his fingertips, letting his tongue flick it up and down for a few seconds on his _property_, on his girl.

"Ohh, make me cum… make me… baby, please" Gabriella begged in her sickly sweet voice and he growled lowly before moving his hips in and out of her harder and deeper. Even in the dark room, the shade of red that formed on Troy's ears, neck and cheeks as he got closer to his release still made her feel more turned on. It was like her pleasure doubled every time she knew he was about to cum because of her… her boyfriend would always cum because of her from now on. He was all hers, finally. Gabriella no longer had to be afraid of someone taking him from her, they belonged together.

He rolled over, lying her down on the bed to penetrate her deeper. She moaned and locked arms around his neck, kissing the side of his face, "Oh, you feel so good" she mumbled weakly, "My beautiful pet… God, you're so incredible, Troy"

Gabriella wrapped her legs tighter around him and he buried his face intro the crook of her neck, licking and sucking the skin possessively. Troy knew he would probably laugh if she called him pet outside the bed, but during sex, God, she couldn't be more adorable and sexier when she tried to be the fucking cat on the relationship. It felt so good to hear her words at the same time her walls began to pulsate around his dick.

"Baby…" she whimpered softly between penetrations and he felt his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Her honey like voice assaulted his body furiously and the burning trace that lingered on his butt as she pressed her hand there to speed up his pace took him to heaven. It was her mark on him and it was even more powerful than any tattoo he could ink on his skin. It was personal and permanent, just like hers. Her name was written with fire in his heart and he couldn't and wouldn't take it out of there, never.

"I love you… oh fuck" Troy closed his eyes as his feelings rolled freely from his tongue and his body began to shake as his orgasm approached. He felt the thick liquid of his cum being released inside of Gabriella, filling her body. The possessive monster that lived inside of him couldn't help but be ecstatic every time he claimed her as his as he cum. He felt so connected with her, it was where he wanted to always be... inside of her.

"Dammit, I love you so much"

"Gosh, Troy…" she muttered as his words hit her like a hurricane and took her to the greatest orgasm of her life, "I love you too… baby... oh Troy"

He collapsed on top of her and she kissed the side of his head before running one lazy hand through his sweaty hair as they breathed the air in and out of their lungs. Troy swallowed and kissed her collarbone, to her neck and at last, her lips. "Fuck Ellie…"

"I know" she nodded weakly, feeling slightly stronger, "Wow…" she kissed his cheek slowly, moving her hand between their bodies to pull his dick out of her, "you need to go baby"

"We still have time…" Troy yawned, his energy gone completely, "Let me just rest for a sec"

"I kind of lied" Gabriella admitted, "Mum will be here any second"

Troy gulped and stood up to pull up his boxers and jeans. She giggled when he fell from the bed, bumping into her bedside table, "Ouch"

"Careful, Troy" she teased and he rolled his eyes, "I know" he said sarcastically, dressing his shirt and bending down to kiss her on the lips, "I'll see you on Monday at school?"

Gabriella nodded, "I'll miss you"

"Me too, gorgeous" he winked, walking to her balcony door, "Take care"

"Have fun at the party, Golden Boy"

Troy chuckled, "I will"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
NOVEMBER 12, 2005.**

The girl that walked on the small stage that was placed in the back of Zeke Baylor's living room had a tiny pink glittery dress that clung to her body like a second skin. Differently from the time she introduced herself, Sharpay had her blond shiny hair down, cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her light brown eyes were huge and blinked powerfully as she grabbed the microphone that the red haired guitarist offered her.

"Alright… 'cuz you guys insisted way too much, Sharpay is going to sing" she told the crowd of students as if she was talking about someone famous, not even herself. Troy observed as her high heels tapped the floor rhythmically at the same time the guitar filled the room. The students cheered and she grinned big, visibly proud of her voice.

_And I feel,  
I feel a deep connection.  
And I think that we might be onto something.  
And I know it's something special,  
Seeing you here is not coincidental. _

_Well, I've been walking,  
walking behind enemy lines  
And I've been fighting, fighting from the other side __  
I've been saying, saying I won't fall this time  
But now I'm walking, walking within enemy lines  
_

Her group of friends screamed loud at the same time everybody began clapping hands and dancing. Though her beauty was astounding, her face reflected such cockiness Troy couldn't help but laugh hard. She probably thought herself was the most important thing in the world. Her voice was brilliantly beautiful, that he couldn't deny, but she sang the song with a kind of sad voice that lingered in the air. Something creepy, yet hypnotizing. He couldn't move his gaze from her blond figure performing on the small stage. Their eyes locked and she smiled broadly at him the same time the guitarist strummed his guitar, but Troy didn't find the strength to look at him not even once. Her voice and her slow movements, the way her hips moved back and forth as she sang her almost ballad now, raised the hair of his body.

_See I was trying to be everything you weren't expecting__  
All I ever wanted was to try and keep you guessing  
__Now I'm falling way too fast__  
I just want this love to last, forever  
__Every time I feel this way  
Oh something's changed for the better _

Sharpay was so appealing, a shallow kind of person that had he intrigued, he had to admit. Her face and body were breathtaking, but somehow, all he could think about was his girlfriend. His Gabriella, the girl he fell in love with. Her dark long hair, her pink puffy lips, her sweet moans when they made love. Troy shook his head firmly, snapping out of the trance as her voice silenced down and the crowd cheered as loud as before, calling her name like she was a superstar. Troy tried not to smile at her, but he couldn't stop it, his body was working faster than his brain. He ended up smiling faintly at her. That seemed to please her.

She thanked 'her fans' and jumped out of the stage and suddenly, the heavy metal was back to his ears. That fucking annoying sound that made his head ache so badly was now invading his mind, too. It rocked his brain so strong, as if there was an earthquake inside of his head. Troy wanted to go home, but he knew he had to stay there. The party was for him after all, his whole team was there and he was not sure if they were just saying he was the captain of the Wildcats because most of them were already drunk or because they really voted to him like Zeke had said.

"Hey, bring another beer to the Hoops here" he felt a hand pulling him strongly by the arm and shoving his muscular body against the kitchen's wall. He smirked lazily at Chad, the dark skinned guy with an afro - the one that captured him, and he winked at his new teammate. His afro moved lightly as he yelled at Zeke, the tallest of the guys there, "Dude, the beer!"

"Right, drink that captain" Zeke placed one hand on the back of Troy's head, shoving a beer down his throat. He swallowed everything, shaking his head slightly as he was finally released again. Troy pushed Zeke's body far from his, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His fucking head was spinning at the speed he drank the alcohol, but he didn't mind it, it felt good. "Damn, dude. I can drink by myself"

Zeke laughed and Jason, his new neighbor joined him as Chad slapped Troy on the back, "so Bolton, happy you're the new captain?"

"Am I really?" Troy asked, smirking slightly, "Or you're all just fucking drunk?"

Cross laughed, slapping his stomach weakly, "Nah, you really are. You're fucking better than old Chad there" he pointed to the guy with the afro again and he showed his middle finger to Jason, "Go fuck yourself dude"

Jason high fived Zeke, "So?"

Troy leaned against the kitchen counter and grabbed another beer from Zeke, "So what?"

"Aren't you gonna get any chicks? The cheerleaders are eating you with their eyes"

"Jason said you fucked more pussy in a month than he fucked his entire life"

Troy laughed and shrugged, "I got a girl now, man. You can have all the vaginas available here. You can even have Jason if you want... he's a pussy anyway" he joked and Jason punch him on the arm, "Oh yeah, he's dating G now" Cross informed the group of boys and Chad rolled his eyes, "Man, she's hot, but she's a nerd… a nice girl. You gotta date the cheerleaders, they are naughty"

He couldn't help but laugh at his new friends. Only he knew how naughty Gabriella could be and he loved it. She was an angel outside of the room and a devil in the bed. He adored the fact that no one had even an idea of what she was capable off – Troy was sure if they knew how good Gabriella was there would be more guys going for her than she already had and he didn't like guys close to his girlfriend. She was all his.

Immediately his mind formed images of Gabriella naked, offering herself to him and he had to fight the urge to grab his car keys and get the hell out of the party to sneak inside her room for round two. Damn her mother for coming back from the tattoo convention already. Damn Jack Bolton for obliging him to stay home yesterday and help him out with the car. Shit, he had lost one night sleeping with the beautiful brunette, one night he'd never get back. At least she was his forever now, he could breath in relief.

"Arizona, jocks belong with cheerleaders. That's how things work here and every other fucking school in US too" Zeke slapped his back playfully, "Come on captain, forget Gabriella. Go with the flow and you'll be getting a blowjob in twenty minutes"

"You're dating Gabs?" a warm voice caught his attention, making his heart tightened automatically at the sound of another nickname to his girlfriend. He turned around, staring blankly at the blond slender guy that had a cheesy smile on his face and a green hat on his head. Who the hell was him to call his girlfriend Gabs?

"Evans, what you're doing here?"

"I'm just passing Zeke" Ryan said calmly, locking eyes with Troy again, "Gabs my neighbor, she's the best"

Troy crossed his arms over his chest and nodded his head just once, already feeling protective of Gabriella. Anger and curiosity boiled in his gut, something in the way the slender boy smiled at him so confidently, like he knew his girlfriend so well made an unsettling urge to rip through him invade his insides. Ryan smirked, shaking his head slightly as if he knew Troy was jealous. He opened his mouth to explain he was just her best friend, but Zeke pointed to the other side of the room, "Move, Evans. Geeks don't belong with jocks, right captain?"

His nervousness made him stare at Ryan coldly, telling him by eye contact to keep the fuck away from his girl. "Yeah" Troy agreed, nodding his head. "Move geek"

Ryan sighed and shook his head again before disappearing in the middle of the crowd. Zeke, Chad and Jason laughed and slapped Troy's arms and back encouragingly, shouting things like him learning fast how to be a Wildcat. He just rolled his eyes, laughing at the stupidity the guys were saying. He didn't treat Evans bad because of the stupid status quo, it was just because he was too personal while talking about his Gabriella. They probably wouldn't understand if he tried to explain it, so Troy shrugged off.

"Yo, check out Sharpay man" Jason snickered, making Troy turn around and lock eyes with the beautiful head cheerleader again. She grinned at him and waved her hand casually. He found himself smiling again and waving as well.

"Ohh Bolton, go get the chick!"

"Guys, I got a girlfriend already and I don't mind you guys think she's a fucking nerd. I like Gabriella" he insisted.

"Stop being a pussy, go bang Sharpay... that's Zeke's dream" Chad pointed.

"Then Zeke should go for her" Troy protested.

"Captain, you gotta learn how things work around here" Zeke told him patiently. "Go after her."

"Fuck, you guys are fucking annoying. Will you shut up if I go talk to her?"

"YEAH!" his friends pushed him forward towards Sharpay and Troy couldn't help but sigh tiredly as he closed the gap between the blond and him. He knew he shouldn't even be there talking to her, but a soon as he was face-to-face with the girl, he was hypnotized again by her beautiful smile. _Oh shit, being single for so long made your brain fucked up, Troy_, he mumbled quietly to himself, approaching the group of cheerleaders that giggled loud and disappeared from his sight as he leaned on the wall beside Sharpay.

"Hi Troy" her voice, unlike the tone she used to sing, was high pitched as she spoke. Troy smiled politely and she bit her lip, "You're enjoying the party?"

"Sure, it's cool"

"Hmm"

Troy waited impatiently for her to continue speaking, looking back at the guys just to see they were already gone, drinking or getting chicks themselves. He could take the opportunity and go home, but yet, something on her kept him lock in the same place. "You're single?"

"Nah"

Sharpay grinned, "I'm not really jealous"

"Okay" he laughed lightly and she pulled him closer by the waistband of his jeans. Troy licked his bottom lip slowly as his heart accelerated. The blond cheerleader was pretty cute, completely different from Gabriella in every ways, but still attractive. Everything in her was pink and that was kind of creepy, but her sweet smell lingering his nose was definitely a plus. He always liked the vanilla scent on a girl.

"Do you like your girl a lot?"

He nodded and smiled proudly. He was so fucking lucky to have Gabriella and he couldn't help but repeat that to himself every fucking day. He rested one palm of his hand on the wall behind Sharpay, bending his face to meet her lips, "Yeah... my baby is perfect"

"Bleh" she giggled at his lovey-dovey expression, ignoring the fact he liked his girlfriend a lot. She cupped his face and he groaned as her huge nails painfully dug into his cheeks. Sharpay kissed him savagely on the lips, pressing her body firmly against his.

Could Troy return the kiss? No. Did he want to hook up with her? No. Should he pull away? Yes. Was he going to pull away? No. Why?

He had no fucking idea. He kissed her back, sliding his tongue in between her thin lips, massaging her cold tongue with his own. Troy moved his free hand to her boney waist and his fingertips pressed lightly against her skin, but he didn't feel the shockwaves like he felt when he kissed his girlfriend.

Gabriella. It was his first relationship, but he knew he shouldn't be cheating on her. Troy was fucking up everything he had with her. He was running from his fate and in the arms of the enemy. Adrenaline pumped through his veins madly as he felt Sharpay's cold tongue caress his bottom lip. Damn it, where was the warmth he liked so much? Was it considering cheating if you didn't feel anything for the person you were making out with? Was it that bad that he was just hooking with her because of his new reputation?

_What the fuck, Troy! _he thought to himself. Since when he started caring about reputation? Most of the guys there were probably just his friend because he played ball. Sharpay was probably after him because he was the fucking captain of the team now. Gabriella was always there for him even when he was just the Phoenix dude. Would she get mad at him because he was making out with Sharpay even though he was thinking about her the whole time?

As his hand ran through the blonde's hair, he couldn't help but think about Gabriella's dark curls, so soft and so shiny all the time. His other hand stopped uncomfortable on the cheerleader's hip, but it was like she didn't match with him. He moaned frustrated into the kiss, she'd be fucking mad if she discovered he kissed Sharpay. Troy sucked on her lower lip for a second before pulling away, hiding his face for a minute into her hair to recompose himself. "I gotta go Sharpay. I'll see you later"

She studied him with her light brown eyes and his face was tight, his fingers still clinging painfully to her waist, his whole body tense, slightly shaking as he watched her. The intensity of the moment filled her mind with anxiety. What was going through his mind? Was she a bad kisser? Was she not his type of girl?

"Hmm" Sharpay frowned, "'Kay"

Troy rubbed the back of his neck and smiled slyly, realizing that he had just broken the promise he made to Gabriella for no particular reason. He couldn't even use the excuse of being drunk, because he was as sober now as when he got there. He searched for any sign of his friends, but all he could see was the face of the students of East High staring at him, whispering, pointing. They laughed so loud that the music was silenced by it.

_You'll never hurt me, I trust you. _

_God, no!_ Why do he kept hearing her voice inside his mind, why the fuck she was haunting him right now? Troy knew he made a mistake, but hearing Gabriella's needy voice, seeing her crying face every place as he tried to get away from the party was too much. He couldn't see her crying. He couldn't see her sad. He was freezing. It was painfully cold and it was getting worse.

Troy swallowed, _it is not happening in reality. It is only your mind playing tricks on you. People are not pointing at you, Gabriella is not crying in the corner of the room, you are not cold, Troy_, he mumbled to himself, but he could feel his cold blood rushing through his veins, as if there were a slap of ice inside of him. His teeth chattered violently and his body shuddered. _God, please make it stop._

He finally found the way out of the house and into the backyard, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it. He breathed through his nostrils, but it was like his lungs were freezing too. It was painful to breath, it was painful to think, his whole body was throbbing numb. He thought about Gabriella, desperate to bring the heat back, but it was like the last bit of heat ended as he touched Sharpay.

"Damn it, you are so, so stupid" he yelled to himself, his hands balling into fists. That was it. He had fucked everything again. It was actually amusing that he'd get to lose the best thing in his life because of a stupid mistake. For the first time in seventeen years, he was in the right track, but it was all gone. Weeks of building the perfect base to a relationship threw in the garbage. Two weeks he could have messed up because he was still single somehow, but he had to screw up everything on the first day of his new relationship. Damn it, stupid, stupid, stupid.

The coldness lunged at him with a diabolic smile - Congratulations Golden Boy, you are now a cheater.

_No, no, I'm no fucking cheater_, Troy tried to convince himself but his head began spinning so fast he lost his balance. He fell sitten on the floor, sweat forming at his brow, stomach churning. His grandmother's face appeared to him, teasing her on her sweet tone of voice, telling him she knew he was always trouble. God, she was right, damn it. He was going to lose Gabriella, he couldn't lose her. She was everything to him.

"Bolton, you're kind of green" Troy looked up at the sound of his neighbor's voice, but his sight became very blurry, so he closed his eyes, hearing Jason's voice distantly, "Troy, man?"

In a shift movement, he turned his head to the side, throwing up on a green bush. He vomited not only all the food he ate that day, but it was like his body was trying to vomit Sharpay's kiss, her perfume, her lipstick, everything that made him guilty of cheating on Gabriella. He wanted to be clear again, he craved to feel pure.

"Eww dude, that's disgusting" Jason patted his back encouragingly, "Put it all out"

Seeing the blank expression on Troy's face, he crouched down in front of his friend, really worried now. "Did something in Sharpay made you sick?"

"Yeah… everything" Troy held his head in his hands and his voice was pained as he spoke again, "Man, I can't believe I cheated on Gabriella. She's going to break up with me"

"Troy—"

"I'm fucking gonna lose her"

Jason sighed, "Sorry I pushed you up, man. I had no idea you liked her that much"

Troy couldn't process the attempt of an excuse coming from his friend. All he could focus now was the fact that he was going to lose his baby, his Ellie… his pet he loved so much. God, how couldn't he be fucking responsible for one night? Why couldn't he behave?

It was the first time Troy Bolton regretted he was the way he was.

It was the first time Troy Bolton wanted to be someone else.

He was scum, he hated himself and he hated trouble now.

* * *

Ryan Evans marched back in the party, his face red with anger as he approached his twin sister, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from her friends and into the corner of the room. He couldn't help but feel the urge to shake her to bring some sense to her head and that's what he did. "Are you fucking crazy, Sharpay?"

"Ouch, Ry. Let go!" she half-yelled, grimacing in pain as his hand around her arm was starting to bruise her sensible skin, "What's your problem?"

"You just made out with Gabriella's boyfriend!" he exploded, letting go of her arm, "How could you do that? She's our neighbor, she's my friend!"

Sharpay's eyes widened a bit, "I had no idea Troy was dating Gabs, Ry... I swear"

"Damn it" he shook his blond head, "Everybody is already talking shit about it, Sharpay. I heard Mary Watson tell Rachel Oxxie that she was going to find Kelsi and tell her about Bolton and you. Kelsi is one of Gabriella's best friends, Sharpay! She'll know everything!"

"Hey, I'm just the neighbor" she protested, stomping her white high heel on the floor loudly, "Bolton is the boyfriend. He should have stopped me if he didn't want to cheat on Gabriella"

Ryan cursed loud, but the music silenced his bad words, "you two are fucking selfish. Gabs will be heartbroken, don't you see it?" he took off his hat and ran one hand through his blond hair, "I won't be there for you this time when she finds out, Sharpay. I'm gonna stick to Gabriella's side"

Sharpay sighed, "Do as you want, Ry" she waved him off, fixing her hair, "Now I got a party to enjoy. You know, the show must go on, but not without the star"

"**It's all shallow and all so appealing,  
I'm up to my ankles and I'm drowning anyway,  
In a sea of sarcastic faces,  
Familiar places,  
Everything looks quite the same here,  
It's all confusingly amusing,  
Bitter and tainted the picture you painted to me.**"

* * *

_A/n--So yeah... 2005, it's a flashback... so I'll get to the present day eventually. I just needed you guys to see everything that happened between them first. Thank you for the reviews and sorry if Troy disappointed you guys, I guess someone that was always in trouble doesn't know how to act nice for too long.... It's a shame, but maybe Gabriella can forgive him... let's see... :)_

_Oh and the song Sharpay was singing belongs to Demi lovato.... I don't really remember the name of it though lol_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM, Lifehouse or Demi Lovato lyrics.  
_


	5. Inked, Chapter 5

_A/N-- So yeah, I can be going with the wrong direction to this story, maybe the plot was already done too many times – but I really wanna try my interpretation to this. I had two chapters 4 and two chapters 5 and it took me forever to decide on what I'd put on, mostly because firstly, Troy was never going to stay in Albuquerque – secondly, he'd go away and not cheat on Gabriella._

_But after I finished chapter 3, I secretly wanted to make Gabs regret for inking a person's name so fast on her body just cuz it's a stupid move. I had several options to make her regret it, but somehow I wanted him cheating on her. I know that doesn't make sense when Troy was obviously in love with her, but hey, he got confused by Sharpay's appealing appearance… I guess he needs supervision all the time. I don't know. _

_Again, maybe I could be choosing the wrong way to go with, but I always wanted the story to be like this – and the girls that read the plot before I put it on know it – and I'll stick to my decision this time, even if that means I'm losing a few or a lot of readers. I know two or three people will still read it – that's what friends are for, huh? haha… Anyways, thank you a lot for the support always. You guys are great. _

_BTW, next chapter it's 2008 already, yeah… eventually the flashbacks had to be over. :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Kellie Pickler lyrics.  
_

"**Ain't it a shame,  
A shame that every time you hear my name,  
Brought up in a casual conversation,  
You can't think straight?  
It ain't sad that you can't forget about that we had,  
Take a look at her and do you like what you see,  
Or do you wish it was me?**"

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
NOVEMBER 14, 2005.  
**

"Give it back to her, Lyle!" Kelsi Nielsen's small voice hissed at the tall red haired boy and he just laughed darkly before taking a look at Gabriella that seemed to be frozen on the same spot, not even realizing her essay had been stolen from her hands. "Ms. Bonnet, he has Gabriella's work!"

"Mr. Lyle, give me the paper right now" the voice of the teacher was harsh as she took her eyes from her book and studied the slender student with attitude. It didn't take long till Lyle rolled his eyes and walked to the teacher's desk, giving her the paper slowly, "I was just playing around, Ms. B. I promise I wasn't trying to copy Gabriella's work" he faked sincerity and the teacher scoffed, "I don't want to know. Sit down and finish your work"

Ms. Bonnet chestnut hair fell on her eyes as she took a quick look on Gabriella's work, wrinkling her nose gently. She sighed and looked up. With one hand she brushed her curly hair out of her eyes, an action that made her glasses slip down to the edge of her nose. The teacher raised her hand and motioned with her finger for Gabriella to join her, "Ms. Montez, please…"

Kelsi looked at Gabriella with the corner of her eyes and sighed when her friend didn't seem to notice anything since Saturday afternoon. She was acting like a zombie, it was like her body was present, but her soul not anymore. Kelsi was worried, but she was afraid there was nothing she could do about Gabriella considering her friend didn't want to talk to her.

"Gabs…" she said softly and the girl quickly shook her head, once again not looking at her best friend, not even to thank her for defending her work from Thomas Lyle, the stupid football player that attended English with them. Gabriella's legs trembled as she stood up from her chair and closed the gap between her desk and the teacher's. Not very different from the time she put her foot on the school ground, the students whispered as if they had nothing better to do than talk about her life.

Ms. Bonnet's face was twisted in a weird expression and she couldn't help but worry about what she had wrote on her essay. Truthfully, Gabriella couldn't remember what she was writing about before Thomas Lyle stole the paper from her hands, she couldn't really process what was going on around her. Her mind was blank and as much as she tried to focus, things weren't processing easily like usual. She just hoped she didn't write anything about the teacher – she already had too many things to worry about than being suspended.

"Ms. Montez…" Ms. Bonnet, the English teacher fixed her glasses on her nose again, locking eyes at Gabriella from behind her desk, "Your knowledge of the words from the dictionary are very extensive and as your teacher I'm delighted to see that you spent most of your free hours learning it by heart, but I'm afraid that's not what I asked you to do"

"Uhm… Ms. B… I—"

The teacher shook her head slowly and interrupted Gabriella; "I asked you an essay about Jane Austen and her influence to the literature…" the girl looked up at her and the teacher's eyes softened, "Take a look on what you wrote… Read it out loud, please"

She swallowed the broken sob that wanted to escape her mouth and grabbed the paper with shaky hands, ignoring the way her mind recognized Thomas Lyle's laugh from behind her. She hated to feel the rest of the classroom eyes burring on her back, but she was already getting used to it that morning. Gabriella chewed on her lower lip as her eyes got teary, "Trouble… 1. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty or need. 2. A distressing or difficult circumstance or situation. 3. A cause or source of distress, disturbance or difficulty. 4. Effort, especially when inconvenient or bothersome" she reluctantly looked up from the paper to the old middle aged that studied her from behind her glasses and swallowed, "Would you like me to read the synonyms to, Ms. Bonnet?"

"Such a geek!" Lyle hissed and the teacher shook her head slowly, "the definition was enough" she grabbed the paper from Gabriella's hand again and smiled sympathetically, "I don't think you should let _trouble_ affect your studies, though. I'll tell you what, Miss Montez. I'll let you go earlier because I'm afraid you pass out in my classroom and create a chaos. So go the bathroom, drink water, do whatever you need to focus again… but I want your paper next week and add another 50 words to it, alright?" the teacher stood up and her voice was low and soft as she advised her favorite student, the slight British accent in her speech more notable than ever even after twenty years living in US, "You are a very good student to let gossip ruin you, Miss Montez. Those conversations are most of the time rumors… don't let it worry you"

She nodded just once and made her way out of the classroom and into the empty corridors of East High School. She breathed in relief as she spotted an empty way ahead - it seemed like the whole school was laughing and talking about her and her love life - something she always tried to keep for herself and it was extremely exhausting.

Gabriella had to admit that when she asked for trouble, she never meant what was happening right now. Alright, differently from other years, her boyfriend was the most popular guy in school, captain-to-be of the Wildcats basketball team, not Jared, the science kid anymore. She was no longer flat-chested, she had boobs that she was a hundred percent sure drove men crazy. She was working every afternoon at the tattoo shop and her mother was finally teaching her to draw on skin, something she always loved. Her life had changed brusquely and for a few weeks, she was happy about that. She was happy she was no longer naïve Gabriella, the nice little nerd that was afraid to do anything.

She loved someone, she was loved back, she had the best friends in the world and her mother was very supportive. But now… gosh, she shook her head and sighed exasperatedly. For two longs days she couldn't face herself on the mirror afraid of the image she'd see. It was not her physical image she was scared of though, she knew she looked miserable, she hadn't sleep well for two nights nor eat very much, but mostly, she didn't want to see the Post-Troy Gabriella's expression, because she knew she couldn't help but want to be a bitch from now on. If what everybody was saying was true, she'd want to destroy him the same way he destroyed her heart and that frightened her so much. She was never, ever mean to anyone before.

Yet, even hurt she'd still consider giving him the privilege of doubt. Several questions arose in her mind as she made her way to school that Monday after crying her heart out the entire weekend. Gabriella was determined to see him, to hear from his mouth, looking in his eyes if what Kelsi had told her was true. She was intrigued enough by the fact he didn't have the guts to call her during the days they didn't see each other, not even to ask if she was fine. If he didn't call, she wouldn't be the one calling either.

She was confused, she trusted Troy, but she also trusted her best friend. They had been friends for a lifetime and she never lied to her. Gabriella knew that she was being unfair to Kelsi when she ignored her, but deep inside, in her sick masochist mind, she hoped that Kelsi was the one lying to her. Maybe, just maybe her best friend of 11 years was secretly in love with Troy and wanted to break them up. What if Kelsi was always a liar and she never really noticed that? Maybe she paid the whole school to start the rumors so she'd believe it was true. Troy could be the victim and as sick as it was to admit, Gabriella never asked so much to be betrayed by her best friend. It was best to believe Kelsi was the one lying to her than Troy. It was an amazing feeling to hope that it was all a sick joke and Troy never cheated on her with Sharpay Evans last Friday. Not when he had sex with her before going to the party, not the same day he had asked her to be his girlfriend… not the same night he said he loved her. Gabriella couldn't let herself admit she was once again cheated. Not by Troy, not the one she was so in love with. He was her baby, he wouldn't be that mean. They were in love. Troy said he was falling in love with her. Gabriella had his beautiful name written on her body, a freaking tattoo that was itching since Saturday when Kelsi left her house. It couldn't be true, she didn't want it to be true. She couldn't be wrong again this time. Troy was special and she knew that. Gabriella had a nickname. He said he loved her, she was his Ellie… his pet…

_Damn it… please be lying Kelsi. _But again, 11 years of friendship… Kelsi wouldn't do that to her. They were like sisters, they always had each other's back. And the gossip… Gosh, it was all over the school already and it seemed like the whole student body saw it happening. Everybody talked about _her life_ and she was supposed to walk around like a clueless idiot. Damn Troy. The whispers were so damn loud inside of her head, practically being yelled at her. Shit, she was going to get crazy.

Gabriella leaned against her locker, breathing deeply through her mouth. She rubbed one hand across her face, closing her eyes trying to compose herself. Images of Sharpay and Troy clinging to the other like there was no tomorrow kept haunting her since Saturday, it didn't matter if she was asleep or awake, they were always laughing at her, mocking her for being so stupid. Why did she have to be so naïve? Why she had to believe everything everyone always told her? _Jesus, when you're gonna learn it Gabriella?_

Her tattoo kept throbbing immensely and even though she knew it was probably her mind playing tricks on her, she could feel the pain physically. Damn, it hurt so much. If she could, she'd rip that piece of skin with her bare fingers. Gabriella let her body slid against the locker as her legs went numb and the cold floor seemed to be the best option in case she was really going to faint like she was afraid she would. Her head was spinning so, so fast and her stomach ached badly. It was so strange the way her body was reacting; it was like she was experiencing spasms. She touched her tiny hands to her stomach, pressing her red t-shirt tightly to her flat belly and clenched her teeth. _Stop it, stop it_, she commanded her body but it was all in vain. The pain came exactly from the center of her belly and lasted for a few seconds that were like hours as her insides seemed to be twisting and burning. It was agonizing. _Gosh, am I dying?_

Her vision was fading in and out and cold and hot shivers tingled all over her body. She raised a shaky hand and wiped the cold sweat that slipped down from her forehead with the back of her hand. Gabriella whimpered painfully as the whispers and laughs invaded her mind and body and again, she found herself praying she'd pass out right now and never wake up again.

_Go away_, she mumbled to herself, as if she asked firmly the voices would disappear.

"I was at the party Friday and Troy Bolton made out with Sharpay Evans"

_Go… go away. Stronger, Gabriella. _

"Melanie saw too. He shoved his tongue down her throat. It was hot"

Her whole body trembled violently, _Please… please. Go away. _

"I thought the Golden Boy was dating Gabriella Montez"

_Stop… damn, I'm getting crazy. Stronger… stronger… Stop it!_

"I heard he cheated on Gabriella cuz she cheated on him first. She's slutty"

_GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!_

In a blink of an eye the pain had subsided gracefully and she felt the nausea following right behind. Gabriella swallowed the bile that rose up in the back of her throat desperately and rubbed her hand against her cold skin. Everything seemed to be back to normal again, except…

She sighed slowly, touching two fingers to the top of her inked mark she felt her skin burn as if it was in flames. She collected her hand to the safety of her lap and shook her head fervently, _that's not possible,_ she repeated to herself as she tilted her head back against the locker, breathing the fresh air that relieved her warm body, letting her think properly again. The whispers and laughs were now gone and she felt in control of her body for the first time in two days, but as she stood up to her feet again, she felt slow and clumsy as if she was being pushed through Jell-o.

_Do you really know Troy like you say you do, Gabs? Do you really think I'd lie to you?_

Kelsi's voice shouted inside her head, so loud that it was like the ground under her feet shook for a second. She fought the urge to scream her answer with a strong and simple 'YES' to the invisible person that haunted her. But did she really knew him? Till Friday, she thought so, but now Gabriella couldn't be a hundred percent sure. As much as she didn't want to admit it even to herself, she knew nothing about him. He was still the stranger that came to visit the grandmother and stayed. She realized she had no idea who he was and that he could be playing a part to her and she'd never know. Damn it, stupid her again.

Yet, she couldn't help but want to talk to him, it was stronger than her. It was like her life depended on what he was going to tell her. Deep inside, she still wanted to believe it was a rumor, a very cruel rumor. In the end of the day, Troy would still be the stranger that visited the grandmother, she had to admit, but it was _her_ stranger, _her_ guy, the one that told he loved her. And when you love someone, you simply don't hurt the person.

Her logic was simple and involuntary a faint hope rose inside of her. Maybe the day wouldn't end like she was afraid it would at first. Maybe Troy would give her the perfect explanation to his behavior Friday night and everything would be fine again. After all, it could all still be a joke, a prank Kelsi, Troy and the whole school had organized against her... Her baby wouldn't hurt her.

The bell rang and East High's corridors was quickly filled with loud students. Gabriella pushed through the crowd that gathered around her with difficulty, ignoring the looks of sympathy that people offered her and the 'oh-s' and 'aw-s' along with back pat's as she made the familiar way to Troy's locker. When she finally got there, her eyes spotted the figure of her beautifully tired boyfriend. She couldn't help but notice the way the dark shadows around his eyes and his pale face gave him the appearance of someone that had been throwing up the whole weekend. As Troy looked up, his mouth curled down in disgust as his eyes met hers, but he only nodded once with his head before brushing his dirty sandy floppy hair from his eyes. Gabriella's stomach tied up in knots automatically and she felt like she needed to vomit. It was clear on his expression that the rumor was in fact true: Troy Bolton had really cheated on her.

For a second her mouth dropped open and she placed one hand securely to it, afraid she'd puke all over the floor. As if being the cheated girlfriend of the Golden Boy wasn't enough to humiliate her. She breathed deeply and clenched her jaw. Damn it, why couldn't Kelsi be the liar? Why Troy? Why her baby? Now more than ever, she wanted to see if he'd have the courage to admit what he done. She hoped he'd have a perfect excuse for it.

_Gosh Gabriella, are you a masochist or what? _She thought to herself as her trembling legs closed the gap between her and the boyfriend she loved so much. She cursed her body and the freaking butterflies for filling her stomach – it wasn't the moment to worship him, damn it. Gabriella breathed deeply again, why the hell was she nervous about? He was the one supposed to be scared of her… of her fury. He was the potential cheater, because somehow her retarded mind still considered Troy as innocent till she heard from his mouth, even if he had 'guilty' written across his forehead.

Why she needed to be so dependent of him? Why she had to love Troy so much? Why her body betrayed her when she stood in front of him and that beautiful light blue eyes filled with regret? As harder she tried to be a tough girl, the weaker she felt. Her tattoo itched and burned again and she found herself in the edge of crying. _Oh God… kill me before I hear it from him. Kill me now, take me from this pain, _she pleaded recklessly to herself, the last hope of it being only a nightmare vanishing from her heart as Troy looked down again.

The bastard couldn't even look her in the eyes.

"Is it true?" she managed to speak, even as her voice sounded hoarse. "Tell me it isn't Troy"

Gabriella knew that if he said it was all a lie, just a rumor like she expected, she'd believe it. She knew that if he looked in her eyes one more time she'd wrap her arms around him and promise everything was going to be okay. That more than anything, more than the fact Troy could have cheated on her for real, was disgusting. She was ashamed of being Gabriella Montez – she was so weak, so damn weak and she couldn't help but want to slap herself in the face to bring some sense back to her head.

Troy nodded his head up and down and a softly 'yeah' escaped his thin lips. Immediately the image of Sharpay and her former boyfriend making out passed in slow motion before her eyes. All the pity she felt for him and the need to console his saddened figure vanished and her face reddened with anger and disappointment. "Why?"

"I…" he struggled for the right words, "I don't know"

"You don't know? Are you stupid or something? How come you don't know? You said you'd never hurt me, Troy" she reminded him bitterly, "You said you loved me"

"I love you. I swear I do"

"That's the way you show me that huh? You make out with another girl? Am I that bad of a girlfriend? I…" she ran one hand through her thick hair, "I, damn… we were dating for not even a day, Troy. It wasn't even 24 hours before you cheated on me. With my neighbor! My best friend's sister! Sharpay fucking Evans. God, Troy!"

"Baby…" Troy lowered his voice and stepped closer to her, only to make Gabriella step back, "The whole school is watching El… come on, let's talk someplace else… I swear I'll explain everything"

"Were you drunk?"

"Ellie…"

"Answer me. Were you drunk?"

"No"

"Then why?" her voice shook as she half-yelled, "You just felt like cheating on me?"

"Gabriella, baby… let's go some place else, please"

"No, Troy. Let's stay here, okay? I don't fucking care if the whole school is watching or not" she exploded, finally letting her emotions travel out of her body and collapse on Troy like tons of bricks. As much as she tried to keep the conversation between the two of them, her disappointment was too powerful and spoke louder than any rule of politeness. "You didn't think twice before humiliating me in front of the entire school, so why should I care if they are participating in our argument or not?" Gabriella exhaled loudly before turning around to look at the scared students. "You all like it, don't you?"

A few courageous students nodded their heads, not minding the killing stare Troy shot at them, actually delighted that some action was going on with the new kid and the former nerd of East High School. Gabriella was really someone new this year, the whole school couldn't deny it.

Gabriella's strength vanished as fast as it appeared and as she turned around she had tears rolling down her cheeks, her face was flushed and her eyes swollen. Troy cursed himself for hurting her, for making her cry, it was impossible to see her suffering. He was willing to make anything for the pain to go away.

"Ellie… baby" he raised his hand to touch her arm, "I'm sorry"

"No… you… are… not" she replied in between broken sobs and Troy's heart tightened. "I gave everything I had to you, Troy. Everything"

"El—" Troy wrapped his large hand around her slender arm but she slapped it away, "don't touch me. I hate you, I hate you so much and I have your name on my body now" she cried harder, embracing herself, "For the fucking rest of my life… Shit, I'm so stupid. How could I do this? If I could take everything back"

"Don't say that Gabriella" he begged softly, his heart breaking more with every word that flew out of her mouth. Troy wanted nothing more than to shut her up – she had no idea what she was talking about. She couldn't regret everything that happened between them. She could punch him, curse him, but never, ever regret their love. "Baby" he tried one more time, "Let's talk about this… I'm really, really sorry. I swear"

"There's nothing to talk about Troy" she interrupted him as she hissed the words between her clenched teeth. Her shaky hand travelled to her eyes and she wiped her tears with the back of her long sleeved t-shirt. The nausea and pain filled her stomach again and she took a second to swallow the liquid that threatened to fly from her mouth. Troy's expression changed from saddened to a frown of worry as he watched her olive skin to transform in a light green.

"Baby, you're okay?" he touched his hand to her hip and she groaned as if his touch was a knife and was slicing her skin painfully, "Don't… touch… me… never… again"

"I love you!"

"Stop it! How dare you pronounce such words after what you done to me? You have no fucking idea what love is, Troy"

"I do, I love you"

"No!" her tiny hand slapped his face swiftly with a loud _plaft_ that made the bunch of students to gasp loudly, as if their life was the last episode of their favorite soap opera. Troy closed his eyes for one long minute and his hand wrapped around her hand, his fingers slipping in between hers, connecting their bodies. He breathed through his mouse slowly before reopening his eyes.

Gabriella could swear the blue orbs had changed to grey and there were flames on it. For a second she was afraid he'd hit her back, and she'd easily fly all the way to the other wall due to his strength, but Troy only shook his head and his eyes softened as she bit her bottom lip, "El… I really do love you. It was a mistake, it meant nothing. I don't know why I kissed Sharpay but I swear I won't do it again"

"I wish I never met you" her last words worked as a gun shot through his heart and so fast he couldn't actually process it, Gabriella was going away, pushing through the crowd of students that stared at Troy like he was a monster for not treating their new hero as she deserved. Troy ran his hand across his face, groaning loud as he saw himself without her for the first time. He felt miserable and he wanted to run far away and find a place to cry without being bothered nor watched like he was a fucking animal stuck in a zoo cage.

"What the fuck are you all staring at?" he hissed between his teeth, storming after Gabriella as fast as he could, even faster than he always ran from the police, faster than he searched for trouble. Troy needed his salvation back and he'd give anything to have her again. He knew he was the dumbest of asses for hurting Gabriella, but he had learned in two weeks that living without her was too painful. He loved her and she was supposed to be with him always.

"Shit" he cursed as he couldn't help but watch as Gabriella hopped inside of Ryan Evan's car and he drove off the parking lot. He punched the school's glassed doors, growling in rage at the fact of a man was probably consoling his Ellie. "Fucking Evans"

"Yo, Bolton?" Troy turned around and his blue eyes met Jason Cross's black ones. "You alright man?"

"Do I look alright to you?" he asked bitterly, running one hand through his hair, "Gabriella dumped me"

"Yeah…I saw the show" Jason rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortable, reaching out to pat's Troy arm sympathetically, "That sucked big time"

* * *

Troy Bolton was disgusted at himself not only for hurting his first real love, but because he could have avoided cheating on her if he really wanted. He was useless, he couldn't do anything right. Jack Bolton was correct when he said he couldn't commit with anything or anyone. He'd never forgive himself for not being able to behave for a fucking night and screw the best moment of his life. Now he had no one to look when he wanted to feel safe, he wouldn't hear Gabriella's sweet moans when they made love anymore. Nor see her angel face as he sneaked inside her bedroom in the middle of the night to watch her sleep. It was all gone because he couldn't keep his word. All because he was stupid enough to let a cute chick get to him. Stupid not to link the name Sharpay and Ryan – he had heard so much about Gabriella's best friend having a twin sister.

"Shit" he growled darkly, starting his car and driving off the parking lot. He had to find a solution to his problem with Gabriella. He craved to see her again and she was only gone for a few hours. What to do to convince her that he really, truly loved her even though he was an idiot? And how things got so out of his control so quickly? Troy wanted nothing more than to get to Gabriella and tell her the truth about him and Sharpay before the whole school started commenting about it, but he failed, damn it. Maybe Ryan fucking Evans ran out of the party and straight to Gabriella's house to tell her about Troy and his sister. But yet, did it really matter now? The whole school knew about it before Gabriella and that was probably one of the reasons she was so pissed of at him. He drove urgently to her house and rang the doorbell a few times, but the girl never answered the door. Maybe she needed more time to think about it.

Troy could do it, he'd do it if that meant he'd have a second chance later.

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
NOVEMBER 15, 2005.  
**

"Bolton, stop staring at the clock, it won't make it go faster" Jason teased as he slapped the back of Troy's head in an attempt to snap him out of his trance, "What you think about so much?"

Jason didn't need to ask to know the answer to his question. "I need to talk to her"

"Oh yeah…" he shook his head, "she wasn't in Math class today, dude. I don't think she came to school"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
NOVEMBER 19, 2005.  
**

Troy had called her every day, several times but Gabriella never answered her phone nor replied his texts. He went to her house on the weekend, but the lights were off, the balcony door locked and the house empty. He couldn't help but wonder where the heck Gabriella was hiding at.

He slid against her balcony door, collecting his cell phone and dialing the newly discovered telephone number. The phone rang only twice, but Troy had managed to bite most of his nails as he waited the short seconds for someone to answer it. God, he'd go crazy without her. She needed to be there, _please be there_, he thought to himself as his heart accelerated at the agony of waiting. He was never a patient person.

"_Skin Deep Tattoo Shop. Maggie speaking, how can I help you?"_

"Uhm…" he cleared his throat. "Maggie… It's Troy, Gabriella's boyfriend…"

"_Oh, hey there Troy. How are you?"_

He breathed in relief; at least Maggie didn't seem to know about their break up. "I'm good. Is Gabriella there? I'm looking for her everywhere and I'm worried cuz I can't find her"

"_You don't know?"_ his heart tightened, he needed to know anything that concerned her. _"I guess Gabi forgot to tell you. Norah and her are out of town for a few days"_

Troy closed his eyes and a tiny smile appeared on his lips. At least she was fine, he didn't need to worry anymore about her doing something crazy. "Do you know when she's coming back?"

"_Nope, next week I think"_

Okay, he could wait till next week.

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
NOVEMBER 21, 2005. **

"Mama, I'm off to bed" Troy informed from his room to his mother that watched TV in the living room downstairs, "Goodnight!"

Kate Bolton's soft voice came distant, but yet concerned. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine" he lied – he was never fine without Gabriella.

"'Kay... night baby"

His mother had cornered Troy in a room after dinner that night, obliging him to spit out the reason he was so grumpy and depressed all the time. He had admitted cheating on Gabriella and being the reason that she was not in Albuquerque anymore. Kate listened to him in silence, only hugging him maternally and stating that for every action there was a reaction and that maybe losing someone he loved so much could make him learn with his mistakes from now on.

Before going to bed in earnest, Troy made the ritual he was getting so used to these days – brushing his teeth and calling Gabriella. Trying was never a crime, right? He was sure there would be a day she would get tired of ignoring him and answer his call. It would be the day he'd say he was very sorry about what he caused and, if everything went well, they'd be back together.

It would be the perfect night. And it seemed to be tonight.

"_Hello?"_

"El, baby?" Troy asked hopeful, sitting straight on his bed, "Gabriella?"

"_It's Norah, Gabriella's mother, who's speaking?"_

"Troy"

"_Troy" _Norah cringed and her voice was cold as she finally spoke again, _"I'll have to ask you to stay away from my daughter, Troy. Can you do this?"_

"I don't think so ma'am" he said sincerely, sighing deeply, "I love her"

"_Gabriella doesn't want anything with you anymore. Stop calling her, you're just making her feel worse"_

He closed his eyes, "Please Mrs. Montez, just let me talk to her, just once" Troy begged, "please"

The line was silent for a whole minute and Troy's heavy breath was the only sound echoing in the dark room. He bit his bottom lip as he played with his fingers nervously, ready to beg his entire life if that meant he'd talk to Gabriella.

"_Troy?"_

His heart fluttered inside his chest and his hands immediately became sweaty. Troy gulped, it was her, it was her warm voice again. That sickly sweet tone that he loved so much. His eyes got teary and he felt complete for the first time in days, "Baby… oh El, I'm so sorry, baby I'm missing you so much"

"_Don't call me again, Troy"_ Gabriella asked coolly,_ "You don't exist for me anymore"_

"Give me another chance, El. Please"

"_Why should I, Troy?"_ she sighed exasperatedly and he cussed under his breath for not being able to wrap his arms around her body and assure her he'd fix everything again, _"Why you cheated on me in the first place?"_

"I don't know…" he admitted, "I fucking don't know, okay? The guys were talking about me having to hook up with a cheerleader, I told them I had a girl and I don't know. One moment I was talking to her, the other I was kissing her… I did it for reputation; I didn't want to put them down—"

Her laugh was bitter and made him clench his jaw automatically, _"I never knew I wasn't good enough for you cuz I'm not a cheerleader. Yeah, that's great for a girl's ego" _she added sarcastically, sighing deeply as her voice trembled with rejection, _"I don't trust you anymore Troy, can't you understand it? Forget I exist, please"_

_

* * *

_**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
DECEMBER 14, 2005. **

Troy Bolton never considered himself the most intelligent person in the world, not he wanted to be one of those. His life was simple and didn't force him to think too much. There were things in life though that he didn't need to be a genius to be sure about.

Now that he found himself sitting cross-legged on the floor, quietly watching a forty something pretty woman in a floral yellow dress dance so contently with her very tall and strong partner, he didn't have to be a genius to know he was dreaming. Mostly because he knew that to be observing how his much younger dead-grandmother and the man he worshipped so much when he was a kid interact in his childhood house was impossible, because firstly, they were actually dead, secondly, the house was sold for a while now, third, he was not a 6 year old kid anymore.

Somehow waking up was the last thing he wanted to do, because for an unknown reason he was hypnotized by the way the two people in front of him seemed to glow as they touched and looked to each other. The way her slender body and light blond hair swung back and forth as she rocked her body rhythmically and his grandfather squeezed her in a warm embrace, his much younger face that preserved the chestnut beard he wore till his last days forming a proud smile as he looked at the love of his life made him jealous. He was jealous of what they had, the feeling they shared and the fact Troy sir could hold his favorite girl in his arms anytime he wanted.

He felt his heart constrict as the song stopped and the soft laugh of Ollie filled the room. Troy smiled slightly to himself as he watched her blush as his granddad planted a kiss to her forehead before turning his sparkling blue eyes to his very observant grandchild.

"Come here" he raised a pale hand and little Troy immediately jumped up, running to the arms of the older Bolton. His grandfather crouched down, opening his arms to embrace his only grandson in a longingly hug, his hot breath and the smell of tobacco invading Troy's nostrils, "Do you have a girlfriend already, little man?"

Six-year-old Troy Bolton looked in the eyes of the man that had the same eyes and name of him and shook his head fervently, "No sir"

Ollie laughed again and brushed his blond hair out of his eyes, making the little guy offer her an adorable front-teeth missing grin. Troy sir stood up again and wrapped one arm around his wife's waist and she nuzzled his cheek, "Make sure you have plenty of fun Troy, but when you find the perfect girl keep her, just like I kept mine"

"Ooh, take a note of that Troy. That's probably the best advice your grandfather will give you"

Young Troy nodded again, "I promise I'll keep the girl when I find her"

The alarm signaling a new day brought him back to reality and Troy quickly kicked the blankets from around his body and stood up from his bed. He walked to his computer desk and retrieved the not very used Lakers calendar, marking with a red pen the last time he had seen Gabriella. From now on he'd count the days till he had her in his arms again.

With a low groan he ran one hand through his hair, "Too many days already"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
DECEMBER 25, 2005.**

Troy glanced with the corner of his eyes at the calendar, "Shit..."

"What?" Jason looked up from the television with a confused face and Troy just shook his head, "Spit it out, man. You can open yourself"

Troy sighed, "It's nothing... really"

"What are looking at then? Why is there a 40 marked on today's date?"

"For no reason"

"Troy—"

"Just stay out of my fucking business, Cross" he hissed between clenched teeth, throwing the Xbox controller on his best friend, "You make two many fucking questions"

"Alright…" Jason raised his hands in defeat, "When you need to talk, just know I'm here dude… but seriously, just chill out a little, you've been on the edge for too long"

Troy nodded helplessly, "eh... Sorry 'bout that"

"Yeah…" he handed the controller back, "here, let's just play alright? No talking, just video games. Promise"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
JANUARY 1, 2006.  
**

"Mama?"

"In here Troy!"

The thick calendar was folded securely in his hands as he made his way to the kitchen, where his mother was in the process of taking the garbage outside. Troy raised one finger, signaling her to wait and she observed as he opened the can and shoved the paper inside of it. "What's that?"

"Just a stupid calendar I had. It doesn't work anyway, so I decided to throw it away"

"Oh right---hey, where you going?" Kate asked as he grabbed his car keys and opened the backyard door, "Troy, it's 8PM, where do you think you're going?"

"Out with friends" he shrugged, waving a hand at his mother, "I'll be back before 11:30, I promise"

Kate sighed as the door closed loudly. Turning her attention back to the trash can, she couldn't help but feel curious about the reason Troy was throwing in the garbage his Lakers calendar. She bit her bottom lip, glancing over her shoulder to certify nobody was there before grabbing the paper and unfolding it.

"47 days?" she frowned, "What?"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
JANUARY 23, 2006.  
**

"'Sup man" Troy smacked fists with Jason as they met in the school's parking lot and walked inside the building together. Jason as usual, was telling Troy about the chick he scored over the weekend when he left Susan Dante's birthday party and he just heard amused his best friend's attempt to spicy a bit more his sexual life with a girl he never saw before.

He greeted a few guys from the basketball team and two cheerleaders as he passed by the group, smiling slyly as Sharpay Evans blew him a kiss from the opposite side of the corridor. It had been almost three months since the last time he saw Gabriella and Troy eventually had to go back to his usual self, the basketball games and the boring East High girls. It was always the same people and the same conversation, but at least, he was busy and being busy he meant he didn't have free time to think about Gabriella.

Of course he still thought about her everyday, mostly before going to bed in the darkness of his room. Troy tried his best to keep the memories of what they shared alive, but what they had been through was slowly vanishing from his mind. That sucked big time, but he realized he couldn't be waiting forever to her, not when she didn't seem to be thinking about coming back.

He interrogated Kelsi Nielsen and Taylor McKessie for two long months, in an attempt to discover where Gabriella was, or at least if she was fine. The girls told they didn't know anything about Gabriella. Maybe they were lying, maybe they just didn't like him, but he'd never know. Ryan Evans was always there too, whispering things to his former girlfriend's best friends, but he'd never go talk to him and demand information about El. He was afraid he'd punch that stupid smirk from his face with his bare hand and one thing Troy was trying to do was stay out of trouble.

He had lost too much because of it already. It was enough.

Troy opened his locker that was right beside Jason's and shoved his book inside of it, searching for his notebook and a pen in the middle of the mess what was his life as a student. He'd never get to understand how a small locker could keep so many crap that he put inside. One day Troy was sure he'd find a dead mice in it.

Jason rolled his eyes as he watched his best friend scratch the back of his neck, laughing amused as things started to force themselves out of Troy's locker because of the lack of space. "Here, take this dude" he patted his arm, offering a pen and he smirked, "thanks Cross"

"Jase, can you come here please?" the honey like tone of voice of Trish, one of Sharpay's friends and a cheerleader also made both of the teenagers turn around. Troy leaned against the locker and smirked as Jason blushed deeply before closing the gap between him and the blond girl. She leaned on him seductively and whispered something on his best friend's ear and he observed as Jason flinched immediately, his eyes widening slightly as he muttered something to the girl and she nodded.

He frowned as Jason walked back to Troy, his expression alarmed and his whole body stiff. What the heck?

"What's going on dude?"

"Troy…" Jason grimaced lightly, "Trish said she saw Gabriella in the parking lot"

"That's not fucking funny, man" Troy couldn't quite process the words as his friend shook his head, the look in his eyes of someone that was really telling the truth, "You're shitting me right?"

"No. She saw her. Gabriella's back"

Suddenly Troy felt his mouth dry with anticipation. Everything stopped and began moving in slow motion as he watched mesmerized his former girlfriend invade the building with confidence. His heart nearly ceased to beat then began to tap out double time, so fast and so loud he was afraid he'd faint.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

His blue eyes captured her presence easily and every other human around them disappeared automatically as his mind and heart only focused on her… only cared about her. There could be a war outside but Troy Bolton would still only have eyes for Gabriella Montez.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

Troy leaned back against the wall and opened his mouth, remembering he needed to breathe if he wanted to have the opportunity to talk to her instead of passing away in front of her. Not now, not after three long months waiting for her to come back. His lungs claimed what seemed to be thick air to him as his heart slowed. Blinking twice, he focused his attention on her petite figure and the way her black dress with pink dots hugged her perfect body. Gabriella's hair was a bit shorter and she definitely looked paler than before, but Troy didn't mind – she still looked breathtaking beautiful to his eyes.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

It was like his dream was finally coming true. It was like she was being sent to him from Heaven, his perfect angel was back and he couldn't be happier about it. Troy wanted to talk to her… touch her, have her again. The longer he watched her, the tighter and more urgently his body made demands for her. It was definitive: Gabriella Montez would always belong to him and he'd always claim her his – the feeling was there and was more powerful and stronger than anything he ever felt.

_Please, look at me. Baby… please,_ he thought to himself as he watched her walking, always so gently, looking so sexy as she kept her head high, as if she owned the school. God, he was missing her so much!

_Thump, thump, thump. _

Gabriella's pace slowed and the air closed in his lungs. Troy exhaled the air and his heart accelerated again. She turned her head back and for a second their eyes connected, brown and blue in what he hoped would be perfect harmony again someday. She smiled big and he found his heart burning with pleasure as her eyes blinked and her once-olive skin glowed more than a diamond.

But not because of him.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

Troy reluctantly admitted to himself that she was looking back, smiling his smile to someone else. He forced himself to follow her eyes and the bile rose in the back of his throat as his blue orbs sunk in the image of Ryan fucking Evans running to his girl. His blood boiled furiously inside of his body as he watched the blond teen slip his hand in Gabriella's and clasp them together. He had that proud smirk on his face as if he got laid the whole night and wanted to boast about it.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

He felt jealousy burn his eyes as he locked gaze with Evans. His fists clenched as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Troy could literally feel the veins in his arms pulse in rhythm with his heart as he watched them walk together down the hall. His head spun fast and he felt cold rush down his spine. He was going to fucking kill Ryan Evans. He'd punch his face so hard that the fucking shit-eating grin would disappear before he could even realize what got him.

_Thump, thump, thump. _

The light green veins popped out on Troy's neck and he felt Jason's hand rest on his forearm, as if his best friend tried to put some control back on his mind. The hell with control, he was going to go for it – he'd kill Evans. He'd fucking kill anyone that touched his girl. His chest rose up and down as he breathed and his voice came out as a hiss as the command was as transparent as water, "Let… go"

Troy rushed towards Gabriella, opening the way through the crowd of East High students, pushing back as much freshmen that tried to block his way as possible. He had a target focused and he was going to it. His hands grabbed a fistful of Ryan's green shirt and pushed him against a locker. His body collapsed painfully with the material and he groaned loudly.

"Take your dirty hands off my girl!" he ordered as he poked a finger in his thin chest, the words flying from his mouth like venom, "You won't ever touch Gabriella again"

_Thump, thump, thump. _

"Let him go!" her sickly sweet voice half-yelled as she closed her hand around his shoulder, trying to pull him away of her protector, friend or the fuck Ryan Evans was for her at the moment. Troy's body shook violently for a second as he breathed deeply through his mouth and turned around. As his eyes studied her concerned expression he calmed down immediately.

Gabriella was standing in front of him again and that was the only thing he could process right now. His eyes studied her up and down, his mouth watering as the need from her shouted from his insides. His piercing blue eyes roved hungrily on her body, just before her petite waist caught his attention.

"What the fuck…" he mumbled to himself as he scanned her body, his large hands touching the side of her waist curiously, his fingertips travelling to the center of her belly where a small swelling formed under her dress on her once flat stomach. "Shit… you…" Troy looked up and met her eyes, "You're pregnant?"

As sick as it could be, the possessive monster Troy had inside of him jumped in excitement knowing that he had marked her deeply and eternally. Gabriella was pregnant, she was having his baby and he instead of being scared, was happy she had one more reason to be with him, one more thing to mark her as his girl forever. Gabriella closed her eyes and pushed through Troy, holding on Ryan's arm tightly for support. The blond guy wrapped his arm around her petite frame in a hug.

Troy's mind was a mass of thoughts that revolved around Ryan Evans trying to fuck his life. The theater geek was trying to still not only his girl, but his baby too and that he wouldn't let happen. It was his family and fucking Evans had no place in it.

Ryan though, didn't mind Troy was threatening him – he had earned his spot in Gabriella's life and he was not backing off because of a bully like Bolton. He had been there for her for three months, helping her back on her feet, holding her when she felt like dying because of Troy's lack of control and he wouldn't give up on her now. He'd never give her back so easily to him, not when Troy would fuck her up again when she was beginning to get better. He'd kill Bolton before he saw her suffering for him again.

"Yes Troy. She's pregnant"

"Close your damn mouth before I lose my mind, Evans" Troy warned without moving his gaze from Gabriella, his eyes still lingering on her beautiful tiny baby bump. God, he wanted to touch it, he wanted to see her naked body again, he wanted to explore everything that came with the fact she was pregnant. It was perfect, she was expecting his baby…

"Leave her alone. She doesn't want to talk to you" Ryan snapped angrily, "She's mine now"

He was going to prove who owned her.

Troy's head immediately moved to Ryan and with one swift push, he was far from Gabriella and down on his knees. His hand balled into a fist, but before his punch could broke Ryan's nose, a loud _thumb _caught his attentionand he looked back to see that in his attempt to smack the shit out of Evans he pushed Gabriella against the locker. She whimpered as her head hit against the blue painted locker and she closed her eyes, holding her puffy bottom lip between her teeth.

"Baby" Troy let go of Ryan and ran to Gabriella, placing his large hands possessively over her stomach, caressing her belly tenderly. He pressed his thin lips to the side of her head, "Baby… I'm so fucking sorry. Did I hurt you? Did I bruise our baby?"

Gabriella ignored how good she felt in his arms, forcing her mind to remember why the hell she wasn't with Troy for three months.

_Oh yeah, because as good as his arms feel around you, he's a damn cheater, _her mind replied her wisely and she slapped his hand away, commanding her brain to ignore the fact she wanted to cry so badly. "It's not your baby"

"Not my baby?"

She looked up at him and her coolly gaze made him flinch – it was like the Gabriella Troy met a while ago was gone. He shuddered involuntary as she shook her head. He rolled his eyes though and laughed in disbelief, "Baby..." he lowered his head to match her ear, "You know I was the only one that cum inside of you" he reminded her softly, "It's okay Ellie… I'm not mad you're pregnant. We can work this out together"

"The… baby… it's… not… yours" Gabriella exhaled between words, moving to Ryan's side again, "Leave me alone, Troy"

"Whose baby is it then?" he pressed, feeling anger building inside of him again, not because of her denial – he was sure the baby was his – but because Ryan Evans was fucking touching his girl again. Where the fuck he got the courage he was showing now? Where the heck he got the idea he was the one to hold and protect Gabriella? That was his job and he wasn't going to give it to him peacefully.

"It's mine" Troy clenched his jaw and his gaze pierced Ryan, "My girl, my baby"

Gabriella looked up at the blond teen for a second and her eyes filled with some strange feeling Troy couldn't exactly define. Was it happiness—adoration? What the fuck was going on between them? Why the fuck Gabriella was letting him tell their baby was his? Why she decided to lie to him?

"This is bullshit. She wouldn't cheat on me"

"Are you sure?" Ryan teased and the stupid smirk formed on his lips again. Troy's hand balled into a fist again and he felt on the edge again, "You wouldn't cheat on me, would you Gabriella?"

The corridor went silently as the students waited for her denial or confirmation, the echoes of the people's heavy breaths that were gathered for another episode of their favorite soap-opera being the only sound in the school. Jason saw as Troy's body shook with anger and once again tried to hold on his elbow and warn him about being in school property, but he slapped his friend's hand away.

"Answer me, Gabriella"

"Well…" Gabriella shrugged, lacing her fingers with Ryan's. "People can always surprise us, don't you think?"

Before anyone could notice, Troy had exploded. His strong hand made contact with the boy's right eye and side of body. Gabriella jumped on him, trying to pull him away from Ryan, afraid he'd kill the poor boy. "Take your fucking hands off me" he ordered as he slapped her hand away, disgusted by her actions, forgetting completely that he had done the same thing with Sharpay Evans months ago.

Again East High's most famous couple was on spotlight as the whole student body watched their fight. It seemed that it was getting common to hop into Gabriella and Troy's relationship without being invited. It was anger, lust, love all in two people and the entertainment was simply irrecusably. Like three months ago, the crowd looked, pointed and whispered as Ryan tried to punch Troy back unsuccessfully, Gabriella screamed and Troy cursed.

They were wrong though, it was best than watching soap-opera. It was all real and happening in front of their eyes for free. However, differently from the last scene the students witnessed a few months ago, this time Troy seemed to be trapped in his own game, as if karma came back to haunt him – the table had turned.

To them, Troy cheated on Gabriella with Sharpay, then Gabriella cheated on Troy with Ryan and... got pregnant with his baby.

"You're insane!" Gabriella yelled at Troy, cupping Ryan's cheek with her hand to dry up the blood from his mouth as soon as Troy let go of him, "Why did you have to hit him?"

"It's okay, Gabby. I feel fine, seriously" the blond assured her, ignoring Troy's groan of irritation.

"Shit, why you did that?" Troy hissed, feeling tempted to punch Ryan in the face again to release all his anger on him, "I trusted you Gabriella. I fucking trusted you"

"How does it feel being in my position, Troy?" she let go of Ryan as she spotted the principal running towards them. Gabriella walked slowly to Troy and stood on her tiptoes to whisper what she hoped would be her last words, "Payback is a bitch, Golden Boy"

"'**Cuz I'll be there in the back of your mind,  
From the day we met to the very last night,  
And it's just too bad,  
You've already had the best days,  
The best days of your life.**"

* * *

_So yeah. I had to stop my work cuz I have more than 10 PMs in two hours demanding why the heck Gabriella ended up pregnant with Ryan's baby? Wow... wait a sec, who said the baby was his? I, as an author, wouldn't think the girl would be capable of cheating on Troy. Do you all think that she'd do it? Haha... I guess I not only tricked Troy, but you guys as well too... jeez. _


	6. Inked, Chapter 6

_A/N-- Cool, the response for last chapter was better than I expected. After the 15 PMs threatening my poor self, you guys seemed to enjoy the plot that I'm preparing, haha. Good, good. Always great to know that. I'm glad somehow you guys trust me for this, that feels amazing. Alright, so yeah, I'm still nervous about this chapter, cuz there's too much information on it. It's 2008 and that will be the present year in the story, hope you don't mind - I just don't feel very comfortable to write 2009 yet, maybe next year lol. So please, tell me your thoughts after you read the chapter, I don't mind if you'll be angry, happy or disappointed --- just spit it all. I really want to know what YOU think. It's very, very important. And yeah--- sorry if there isn't a lot of Troy Bolton this chapter - he'll be present a lot next one, promise. _

_Another thing, sorry for taking so long to update, I don't like to be an author that update once in a lifetime... I just been very busy and the chapters are very long, so I have to sit down and wait till the ideas starts to flow to write it, lol. Sometimes when it happens I'm almost sleeping or working, so it's hard. Hope you won't abandon me cuz of that. ;) Enough with my babbling. Thanks for the support and for giving the story a chance, even though I still don't know where I'm getting myself into for the first time, haha. Should I be worried I have nothing planned for this story? Uh, oh._

_Hopefully you'll like it. Anyways, YOU GUYS ROCK! Take care._

_- M!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Kelly Clarkson lyrics.  
_

"**I told you everything,  
Opened up and let you in,  
You made me feel alright,  
For once in my life,  
Now all that's left of me,  
Is that I pretend to be,****  
So together but so broken up inside.**"

**SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 16, 2008.**

Gabriella placed both of her hands softly on the mattress, trying her best to be gentle as she rediscovered the beauty in front of her eyes. Her fingertips caressed the side of the face delicately and she smiled as she earned an involuntary smile from the person she loved so much. The beautiful features of the sleeping face contorted lightly for a second as the face moved slowly from one side to another, as if finding the best spot to keep in dreamland. Her thumb ran up the side of the body, her hand travelling the arm lovingly. She smiled automatically as the figure rolled over on the bed, turning on the front to sleep. For a second she thought she woke up the happiness of her life with her need to be so close, but as the softly snore continued, she breathed in relief.

Her daughter laid one arm across her tiny stomach and she watched amazed as it rose up and down as she breathed. Gabriella couldn't help but tangle her fingers in her baby's hair and, leaning down, placed a lingering kiss to her forehead. Her angel had her skin warm as usual, as if it was impossible for her to ever get cold. It still amazed Gabriella that every time she covered the tiny girl, she'd uncover herself promptly. It was like fire ran through her daughter's veins, on the contrary of what Gabriella always thought hers was, and her blood seemed to be warm enough to keep her comfortable even if it was freezing outside. Her maternal instincts though, made her worry tremendously about it and she'd get uneasy enough to sneak in and watch her preciousness sleep, just in case she'd need anything.

She sighed as she continued staring at her daughter, watching as she clumsy opened her eyes and, letting it wander around the dark room, collected her stuffed cat from the edge of the crib, just to embrace herself tightly to it and fall asleep again. The girl was so innocent and adorable that it would always make Gabriella's heart swell with joy every time she took a glance at her, it didn't matter she was asleep or awake. Not only her heart would tighten because she was extremely perfect, but because tonight she had her two years old birthday party and time seemed to be flying by faster than Gabriella really wanted. She was touched and afraid – afraid of blinking too much and lose it all. All the transformations her daughter would go through, the fact that she was really growing up and in a few years she'd be an independent child, teenager and later an adult.

The consequences of growing up would still bug Gabriella tremendously, even more when rituals were broken. She'd still take the girl to her work everyday just to be near her, they'd go to the park three times a week and she'd read for her before putting her to bed. Tonight, one ritual had been broken. Her boyfriend had put her in bed when she was cleaning the house up after the birthday party and he never read the girl to sleep. Sighing Gabriella ran a hand across her forehead, turning on her heels as she lost the battle against her head that demanded her to move on and let the girl sleep peacefully. Her heart though, craved to grab her in her arms and pretend she was a tiny newborn again. Following her heart one more time, she retrieved the baby's favorite book from the white shelf and made her way to the arm chair beside her white crib.

"Honey, she can't hear you" Gabriella didn't have to turn around to know her boyfriend was there, watching them. His voice was distant and caring, but she was not tempted to turn around and stare at him, afraid she'd lose another precious second of her baby's life. "Come to bed and let her be"

"I'll be there in a second" she whispered her promise and the guy chuckled lightly before disappearing from the dark room. Hearing the door close, she looked over her shoulder as the darkness filled her eyes again and smiled when she saw herself alone with her daughter one more time.

Her eyes didn't need the light to know how to walk around without bumping into anything. She had decorated the room herself and knew where everything was placed perfectly. The baby had tons of books because Gabriella always loved to read to her, even when she was still inside her body. The girl had a favorite one though and she couldn't remember how many times she had read the book for her daughter. It was called _'Kitten's First Full Moon'_ by Kevin Henkes and the reason the baby liked it so much was obviously the kitten. She was completely addicted to cats.

The book was quickly put on the bedside as she leaned over the crib to carefully grab the little girl in her arms, sitting down on the arm chair swiftly. Gabriella flicked the switch once and the pink lamp turned on, illuminating weakly the sleeping beauty in her arms. She ran her fingertips adoringly along her jaw and stroked her pale cheek. Her little foot twitched as she snuggled closer to her mother's body and moaned quietly. Gabriella's cold body warmed immediately and she felt her heart slowing down its pace.

Maturity could come later, she needed to be selfish one more time.

She kissed the tiny forehead one more time and her nose nuzzled the top of her chestnut hair. The adorable baby's smell still present on her filled her nostrils as the soft baby hair tickled her nose. At least something was the same, at least her daughter still smelled like a baby. Two years old was not the end of the world. She was still precious, tiny and dependable. The girl would still need Gabriella for a long time.

She breathed in relief through her mouth and her heartbeat eased.

As she opened the book she felt a tiny hand wrap around her shirt. She looked down, only to find the adorable half-open sleepy eyes of her daughter. Gabriella grinned, partly happy to see her daughter awake, partly guilty for waking her up. The baby didn't seem to mind though, yawning before blinking a couple of times and closing her eyes in earnest, letting go slightly of her mother's shirt to wrap her tiny hand around the finger that still lingered on her cheek. As she began the story, the baby was already fast asleep but she continued the ritual, till she finished the book.

Maybe her boyfriend was right, maybe the baby couldn't hear her at all, but she wouldn't be the one to break their routine, not one both of them liked so much. And that night, even as the baby snore softly, completely fast asleep, Gabriella could swear she saw a half-smile on her daughter's lips as she read about the kitten mistaking the moon for a bowl of milk.

It was her favorite part after all.

* * *

**SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 17, 2008.**

The smile that lingered on her lips as she stepped outside the glass doors that led her to the backyard of her shared house with the boyfriend had to be one of the biggest she had ever wore. Not because of him shirtless inside of the swimming pool, but mostly because of the girl in his arms. Not any ordinary girl, but the most beautiful and sweet girl in the whole world: her two-year-old daughter.

Now completely awake the girl was dressed in a tiny light green swimsuit and giggled contently as Gabriella's boyfriend of a year and a half spun her playfully on the pool, making her feel really important swimming for the first time. The blond guy transferred his hypnotized eyes from the chestnut beauty in his arms to the dark haired goddess as soon as he spotted her near the pool edge, smiling tenderly at them. The sunlight illuminated his white teeth as he grinned and he held the girl securely to his chest.

"Come to the pool, mommy" Greg Reynolds, Gabriella's boyfriend, imitated the baby's voice, waving her little hand in the air. She smirked as she placed both of her hands on her hips, "I thought you guys were going to wait for me"

"We were" he defended himself, "but little Azzy was eager to get inside" he kissed the girl's forehead and she smacked her hand playfully on the water, wetting his face, "I told you she doesn't like when you call her Azzy…" Gabriella laughed lightly, "I don't like it too"

"It's her name, what's the big deal?"

"Her name is Emerson Azalia" she protested, "Not Azzy. That's probably a dog's name"

Greg rolled his eyes, "That's not. That's short and adorable" he said calmly, staring at the baby, "Just like her"

Emerson clapped her tiny hands and cupped his cheeks with her fingertips, gigging pleasurably as he spun her around again. Gabriella grinned – he was such a good father to her daughter. She knew it was wrong to let the baby think Greg was her dad, but could she say no to him when he stared at her daughter like a father would? Like she wished Troy would? She sighed and pulled her dress over her head, making her boyfriend grin at her. Gabriella was using his favorite black bikini that clung to her body perfectly. She dove in the pool and when she appeared again in front of her daughter, the girl squealed in happiness.

"Wow, easy baby girl" she kissed the top of Emerson's head as she threw herself in her mother's arms and pecked Greg on the lips. "Hi"

"Hey babe" Greg smiled, stroking her cheek sweetly with one of his hands. His gaze travelled down her body as he checked her out, the grin that played on his lips fading away and the green in his eyes turning darker as his eyes approached her tattoo. He sighed and touched a finger to it, contouring the flower with his fingertip, "It hurts so much seeing his name on your body" he admitted in a lower tone, as if he was afraid Emerson could hear him, "It's so frustrating"

"Honey, let go of it" Gabriella bit her bottom lip, cupping his cheek with her hand. Gregory shook his head though and all the pleasure of being with her vanished from his eyes. She hated how much a simple tattoo could make him so sad. "I'm gonna go work"

"I thought you said you had a free day" she protested, knowing the real reason he was going to lock himself up in his office again was her tattoo. He shrugged, "I don't have it anymore… sorry"

"Greg…"

"We will talk later, Gabriella" he replied simply, "Enjoy the nice weather with Azzy…uhm, Emmy"

Kissing Emerson Azalia's head he swum far from the girls and hopped out of the pool. The toddler frowned, raising her hand to reach for him and Gabriella sighed. "He's just upset Em. He'll be back to play with you later"

* * *

Gabriella spotted her reflex on the mirror as she stopped searching for clothes to go to bed and bit her bottom lip. She glanced over her shoulder and certified herself that she was alone, before turning around to let her reflex fill her eyes pleasurably. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself at how much she had grown in three years, and as arrogant as it could sound, she thought of herself as beautiful.

After the pregnancy her teen body changed drastically into a woman's and she developed curves that used to drive men crazy. Her legs were toned, mostly because she biked everyday before work. She unwrapped the light orange towel from around her body and let it fall swiftly to the floor. Her eyes wandered up and down her body, studying her firm breasts, flat stomach and tanned legs. Gabriella smiled to herself, she looked good and she knew that. Every day guys would check her out, ask her out. She could swear some guys tattooed themselves only because they thought she'd go out with them after the inking session.

Her hands ran up and down the sides of her body, stopping on the coldest part of her: the flower tattoo. It was so surreal that something that used to be tremendously warm when she was with Troy had transformed so darkly. Every time Gabriella's hand or fingers bumped into that piece of skin, it hurt, not only her heart, but physically. She knew it was only her mind, she had asked Greg to touch the skin and he never felt it cool, but she felt it. It was freezing every second of her day, except when Emerson was in her arms. The girl seemed to connect the missing piece that was the tattoo. Emmy was the only person that sent warmth to her body now. That was one of the reasons she loved holding her daughter so much. Gabriella always felt so cold.

Who would have thought that after so long, she would still feel so linked to Troy? Not only because of their daughter; he was always on her mind everyday as she changed clothes or checked herself on the mirror. For almost a year she didn't go to the pool or used clothes that showed her tattoo, afraid his name would haunt her, but she came to accept the fact Troy would always be present in her life somehow. Even though he hurt her, he was just unforgettable for many reasons.

"Why you do that?"

She turned around, her hand still on her tattoo and found a frustrated frown on her boyfriend's face. Her hand immediately fell numb to the side of her body and she swallowed before opening her mouth to let the shaky words to escape her lips, "Do... uhm, what?"

"I watch you when you change clothes, Gabriella" Greg said, walking further inside the walk-in closet, "I see how you caress his name every day. Why you still love him?"

"Where's Em?" she tried to change the subject and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nostrils. "Asleep. I just checked on her"

Gabriella bent down and collected the towel from the floor, trying to cover most of her body with it, but because her hands trembled violently, she found the easy process very difficult. Greg raised his hand and helped her wrapping the towel around her body again before finally speaking, "You'll never love me like you loved him"

"Greg..."

"It's true, Gabriella" he paced up and down the closet, his hands taking turns to run through his blond hair in agony, "You have his name written on your body with permanent ink" his voice was softly, but she knew he was mad at her. Greg was just too responsible to yell knowing he could wake Emerson up, "It's forever..."

She bit the inside of her cheek to avoid groaning in annoyance. Why he had to freak out every time she was naked, or in a bikini or a dress that showed her tattoo she'd never know. The fact was that almost every day he'd get pissed about it and curse Troy, his previous and future generations because of a piece of inked skin. She scoffed. Troy. She haven't seen him for a long time now, since high school days when she moved to Santa Fe with her mother to open another tattoo shop, leaving everything behind. It was not only her memories with Troy, the good and the painful ones, but Ryan, her friends and the Skin Deep tattoo shop that she still owned in Albuquerque and loved so much.

Greg was her reality now, her present and future, yet he couldn't be more insecure every time he saw Troy's name on her body. He couldn't understand that bringing Troy to the conversation would only make her think about him again, not forget him. Not that she could. If she closed her eyes, she'd see Troy's piercing blue orbs and the beautiful smile she loved so much once, smirking at the failure that was her love life. Sometimes she'd still dream with him, and he'd tell he would always belong to him, and somehow she felt good. Internally she would feel in heaven, physically she'd wake up screaming as her tattoo itched immensely and felt like ice cubs burning her body.

Gosh, so much for ink. Who would have thought it would define her life that much?

"I want you to do it for me" Greg's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she shook her head lightly to try and focus on what he was saying, "Can you do it, Gabriella?"

"Uhm…" she cleared her throat, not really knowing what he was talking about. "Do what, Greg?"

"A tattoo" he said simply, "I want you to ink my name on your body, too"

_A tattoo? No! _Gabriella's insides protested loudly and she clenched her jaw before she could pronounce the words her mind wanted so much. A tattoo? Was he crazy? She couldn't! Her body started shaking with nervousness as he gazed at her impatiently, waiting for her answer. It was just impossible. She wouldn't be like Troy. Even if he didn't keep his promise, she'd keep hers. She'd never tattoo any other names on her body. That was final.

"I can't"

She saw as he fought to keep the control of his voice and emotions, "Why not?"

"I—I was 17, Greg!" Gabriella sighed, trying to be reasonable, hoping if she proved him that tattooing a name was stupid, he'd let go of it. "I won't do that again. I was silly enough once... I don't wanna be again"

She found a shirt quickly and dressed in it, just to stop his creepy gaze on her body. She could almost feel his eyes slicing her skin painfully. Gabriella made her way back to their room and for a second breathed in relief when he didn't follow her.

"Why are you still loyal to him?" he leaned against the doorway, his expression were as hard as a rock, "I am your boyfriend, you live with me, we have a life together"

"Don't start with that" she warned between clenched teeth as she sat on the edge of the bed, "I am committed to you, isn't it enough?"

"You still love him, don't you Gabriella?"

"What? No!" she half-lied, a part of her would always love Troy, no matter what. The other half of her still fought everyday with the hate that filled her heart every time she thought about Troy making out with Sharpay. Yes, very high school, but yet, it still ruled her life. She couldn't help but wonder if things would be different for her and her daughter if Troy never cheated. If they never fought – if she never pretended the baby wasn't his. Where would she be now if she had forgiven him?

"If you don't love him, what's the big deal?"

"I made a promise Greg" she admitted in a whisper, looking away from his intently eyes. As she looked up again, her boyfriend's face was red with anger and she knew she had pushed him to his limit. She had said too much – something she never told anyone, not even her best friends.

Gabriella gasped, covering her mouth with her hand before thinking of how to ease the situation. Innumerous programmed lines popped on her mind, but she didn't find the strength to swim against the flow anymore. She was officially exhausted of everything, of how her life had turned out, of Greg's insecurities, tired of running from her past… and it was all because of Troy. She was angry because even after three years, he'd still fuck everything up.

_You'll be mine forever_, _Gabriella_ her mind mocked her and she bit her lip harder. Troy Bolton would always rule her life, but she could try to get rid of him, she could be strong and prove her heart, mind and body wrong. She'd do it.

"Honey" she sighed softly, "let's forget about it, please. He's not important to me anymore…You are"

"Prove it to me" he challenged, "I want the tattoo. Go to your mom's shop and do it tomorrow. Do it yourself, you choose the part of your body, I don't mind. I just want the tattoo"

_Mine, always mine,_ he haunted her again and she shuddered. It was impossible; it was like fighting against a huge wave that collapsed on her every second of her day. Damn him.

"I can't" she admitted.

"I've been trying to be comprehensible for almost two years, Gabriella. I can't do this anymore"

She looked at him shocked, but he just shook his head, "Please grab your things and get out of my house"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 18, 2008. **

"Gregory is a bastard" Ryan concluded after hearing his best friend for an hour. Gabriella was still sitting on his couch, after driving all the way from Santa Fe to Albuquerque in the middle of the night. She was tired of worrying her mother with her arguments with Greg and she was exhausted of listening to the same thing everyday, so she just really grabbed her and Emmy's things and ran off.

"He is a jerk" she agreed, rubbing one hand on her face before breathing through her mouth, "but I used to live with the jerk, Ry. I can't go back to my mom's house with a baby. I am 20 now. I can't act like a teenager anymore and ask her to resolve my problems. I got responsibilities"

Emerson laid her head on her mother's chest, sucking on her light pink pacifier calmly as she watched the two grown up talk. Gabriella sighed, kissing the top of the baby's head, she observed as she wrapped around her little thumb a curl of her mother's hair to feel safe. All the love she felt for her boyfriend seemed to be disappearing as the minutes passed. Looking down at her innocent daughter, Gabriella couldn't help but think Gregory was such an immature person for kicking them out of the house as if they were dogs, not human beings.

What kind of man would do that to a 2 year old baby? A baby he used to say he considered his own daughter. Greg lived with Emmy enough to know that she needed to sleep well or she got stressed, but once again his jealousy blinded him. Every time he saw the tattoo, it was a new argument and it always ended up with Gabriella going to her mother's house for the night with a baby in her arms and him apologizing the next day. The worst thing was that she was weak, so she always forgave him. This time she was tired of it though, tired of putting her daughter in that situation. Enough was enough.

"Maybe he was tired of me and Em and used the tattoo as an excuse" Gabriella held Emmy against her body and rubbed the baby's tummy gently to sooth her, "Or he's just very insensible to do that to her"

"He'd be a dumb-ass if he was tired of you two" Ryan smiled warmly, bending down in front of her to kiss her knee, "You two are ridiculously precious" he whispered adoringly and Gabriella smiled for the first time that night. She put Emmy on the couch and gave the toddler her favorite stuffed cat, the one Ryan had given her when she was born.

"I'm sorry for showing up like this" she whispered as he stroked her leg tenderly, rolling his eyes as if he thought it was bullshit. "You two can come over anytime you want" he assured, gazing at the toddler, "She's looking so beautiful"

Gabriella followed his stare and she was unable to stop the smile that formed on her lips as she saw the tiny face of her daughter watching her. She looked so much like Troy that it would be impossible to take a look at her and deny that she was his daughter too. Her chestnut hair was exactly like his, soft and floppy and often fell on her eyes, just like her dad's. Her big green-hazel eyes had the same shape of his and every time the toddler smiled, her thin lips curled up in a Troy smile. Emerson had her mother's tiny nose, but that was all she had inherited from Gabriella. It was all Troy.

A month and a half of a perfect relationship was all it took for her to end up pregnant with Troy's baby and since then, it was like her world had flipped upside down and inside out. Ryan stood by her, more loyal than ever, even pretending to the entire population of East High School that he was the baby's father. He wanted revenge, he had told her after announcing he was the baby's father. Ryan was only trying to protect her from another broken heart and she would always be grateful at him for being there. Her mother Norah, Kelsi and Taylor, along with Ryan were the only ones that knew the truth and she planned to keep it that way.

Her last days at East High were hard though, the student body seemed to be confused about who they should support, Troy – the golden boy that cheated on the sweet Gabriella Montez – or Gabriella, who cheated as a payback the superhot basketballer Troy Bolton. Deep inside Gabriella knew Troy had the right to know about the baby, but she didn't want him participating on her life or the baby's anymore. She had succeeded very well staying away from him at school, mostly because he stopped talking to her and before the baby was born she moved out and never saw him again. Ryan, Taylor and Kelsi would always keep in touch and visit her whenever they could, but she never had the strength to come back to Albuquerque. She was afraid to take the baby there and screw everything up. Just one look at her and he'd know it. She knew it.

And the lie kept going, flying like it was a light feather. Ryan Evans would always be Emerson's father if everyone back home asked. Ironically, even though she sometimes hated Troy with all her heart for everything he put her through, she never considered abortion. Gabriella loved the baby since she started suspecting something was wrong with her body... different inside of her. Although he had cheated on her, she fell in love with him and only the thought of killing the only thing that made her still connected to him - the only physical memory of the great and short relationship they had - disgusted her. Troy never lied about marking her forever. He really did and the consequence of their acts was looking at her right now, rubbing her sleepy eyes. The best thing she could have in life. The reason she couldn't go back to Albuquerque while he was still there. Gabriella was constantly afraid he'd find out about Emerson, fall in love with the baby and steal her away from him. She couldn't bare being without her.

This time her heart was not tightened as she put her feet on Albuquerque's ground. Troy was playing for the Knicks and moved to NY. So much for someone who didn't want to play basketball professionally. Gabriella sighed, she didn't mind it anymore, her worries about Troy were long gone. She was free to walk around the city without bumping into him and that was enough. Her daughter was free of him.

"You can stay as long as you want, Gabs" Ryan smiled, scooping the baby from the couch and tickling her sides a little, "You know I love having my baby around. I was getting tired of having to split her with another dad"

Gabriella laughed, "Thanks Ry. I just need you to stay with her for a day" she stood up from the couch and collected the baby from her friend's arm. Emmy wrapped her little arms around her mom's neck and hid her face into the crook of her neck, breathing softly, "I have to talk to Kelsi. It's time to run my tattoo shop myself"

"Do you think you are ready?" Ryan asked, "What about Em?"

"She'll be with me. She always behaved very well in Santa Fe when I was inking people"

"Well, I'm glad you'll be close again" he smiled, stroking the baby's cheek, "And you baby girl, is going to a family dinner with me tomorrow"

"Sharpay won't be there right?" she grimaced and Emerson giggled quietly at her mother's expression, "I don't want my daughter near her"

"The bitch is in NY… Thank God"

"Language, Mr. Evans" Gabriella teased, "You have a baby in your house now"

"Sorry baby" he growled playfully and kissed Em's forehead.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Ry" she bit her lip and a half-smile played on her lips, "You are the best"

"I don't know what I'd do without you two" he hugged Gabriella, brushing a tender kiss to her cheek, "I'm so fuck—ops, freaking happy you guys are here"

**

* * *

**

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 19, 2008.**

"Gabs!"

Gabriella grinned as her friend run to her, a huge smile playing on her lips, her stylish glasses slipped down to the edge of her nose as she moved frenetically to close the gap between her and the dark haired woman. They shared a tight hug and Kelsi's mice-like-laugh filled her ears pleasurably, "It's so good to see you here"

"It's good to be home" she admitted, kissing both cheeks of Kelsi, "You look great"

"Thank you" she winked playfully, smiling as she studied Gabriella too, "You look fabulous, Gabs. Gorgeous than ever"

She felt nostalgia filling her heart as she walked inside of her tattoo shop. The endless afternoons she spent there, working part time, observing intently her mother ink people, learning the stories behind every tattoo and the reasons that took someone to mark their bodies invaded her mind. It was like she was 17 again. She loved being there and it was, not surprisingly, the only place she felt home. Albuquerque was where she belonged and where she wanted to raise her daughter. Gabriella knew she was more than ready to run her own business, Norah had taught everything she knew to her and she was looking forward to be her own boss for the first time. The adventure was a very well known feeling for Gabriella and she loved it.

Everything seemed exactly like three years ago. The shop wasn't enormous, but large enough to accommodate two beds, a little waiting area and a small office in the back of the store. There was a single door that led to a bathroom and a stair, that would take to an apartment that Norah used to live when she had spend all her economies buying the store and Gabriella wasn't even born. The walls were still white, something her mother had chosen a while ago to make the shop look spacious.

The little waiting area had two arm chairs separated by a wooden box full of gossip magazines that were used to entertain the ones that showed their support to the people that were brave enough to deal with the blood and needles. The front counter was still the same, dark wooden with the name _Skin Deep_ marked in gold letters. A catalogue with samples of tattoos was on the marble top, in case there were still undecided clients. A few sketches, the ones her mother did a long time ago, still decorated the reception like beautiful paintings.

God, it was awesome to be home.

"How's everything going here?" Gabriella asked, turning around to look at her tiny friend. "Very good… people are always coming and going. It's nice"

She smiled, "Yep. The shop in Santa Fe is huge, you'd faint seeing it" her eyes wandered around the small store, as if she was scanning her baby, "But I like here better… it's cozy"

Kelsi grinned, "Tay will never believe when I tell her you're back"

"She'll freak out" Gabriella laughed, running a hand through her thick hair, "God, I'm so glad I'm back"

"What about Azzy? Where's she?"

She rolled her eyes, "You are going to call her Azzy too?"

"It's cute, come on!"

"Em's with Ryan, he took her to the mall" Gabriella sat down on one of the arm chairs and looked up, "He'll stop by before going to his mom's house too. He wants Emmy to say hi"

Kelsi nodded and smiled softly, "Does she still look like him?"

"More than ever" she grimaced, "I think that's one of the reasons Greg was so pissed too"

"Men are shitbags sometimes, Gabs"

"I know. All because of a tattoo, the same old story. Can you believe it?"

The tiny brown haired girl leaned against the counter, resting her elbows on the marble top, "So, do you have any new ones?"

"Yup" Gabriella grinned and pointed to her foot to show three little butterflies floating up the side of her foot and ankle, "You like it?"

"Yeah" she narrowed her eyes, examining the tattoo. "It's beautiful, very girly. Meaning?"

"Just me, mom and Em. I tattooed it myself"

"I can't tattoo my own body. My hands shakes brusquely" Kelsi laughed, grabbing a pencil from the counter to pretend she was inking herself, but the shop's front door opened, making both of the girls to turn around. Gabriella grinned as Ryan walked inside with Emerson firmly attached to his hip. Kelsi gasped loud and the pencil fell on the floor with a soft _plaft_. Her small hand quickly covered her dropped open mouth as she sunk in the baby's beauty: chestnut hair, big eyes like her daddy's and a small dimple forming on her face as she smiled Troy's smile to her mother.

"Oh... My… God"

"Believe me, I know" she sighed, knowing exactly that what shocked her friend was the fact Emerson was the spitting image of Troy Bolton. Reaching for her daughter, the girl threw herself in her arms, placing a sloppy kiss to her mom's cheek, "Hey there little girl. Did you have fun?" the toddler nodded shyly and Gabriella smiled, "Did she behave, Ry?"

"Yep, like a little princess" he tickled the baby's stomach and Emerson giggled sweetly, "We had to buy her a new shirt though. The princess had a small accident with ice cream" he grimaced, pointing to her new shirt that read I LOVE MY CAT. "She chose it herself"

Gabriella laughed, "She loves cats and it's your fault. You gave her the stuffed cat, remember?" she elbowed him playfully and he grinned, finally moving his gaze from his two favorite girls in the world to Kelsi, "Hey Kelsi"

"Hi" she waved slyly, but her gaze never left Emerson, "She's gorgeous, Gabs"

"Thanks"

"Well, ladies" Ryan retrieved the toddler from Gabriella's arms again, placing her on his shoulders. Emerson giggled and tangled one hand in his blond hair that differently from every other day was not covered with a hat, the other still holding her stuffed cat to her body, "Say bye to mommy, Em"

Kelsi waved and Gabriella blew them a kiss, only to be rewarded with a wink from Ryan Evans. He was truly the best of friends and would never disappoint her.

* * *

"MOM?" Ryan pushed the door closed and put Emerson back on the floor. The girl whimpered and she quickly grabbed his hand, looking with curious eyes around the huge hall from the Evans mansion. He crouched down and stroked her cheek, "It's okay, you'll like it here sweetheart" he assured her, "My mom has a cat, don't you like cats?"

The toddler smiled shyly and nodded her little head. He grinned and stood up, but Emerson didn't show any wish to keep going further the spacious house. She raised her tiny arms and looked at him with puppy eyes and Ryan found it impossible to resist her precious face. He grabbed her in his arms, laughing, "You're just like Gabs when you do this" he kissed the side of her head and she hid herself into the crook of his neck, wrapping her hands around his neck tightly, "Don't be scared, little one. I'll protect you if necessary"

Ryan sighed tiredly as he imagined what the conversation during dinner would be like. His father only talked about work and his mother about shopping, as if there was nothing else important in the world. At least they were nice people, not like his twin sister. He still couldn't believe how she could be such a queen bitch. Sharpay was the most spoiled and selfish girl he knew and he was truly happy she was in New York City, far away from him.

He walked along the empty furnitured hall and turned left in the end of the corridor, letting his knowing mind take him to the living room where he could swear he already heard his mother's high pitched voice. Emmy's heart was beating fast against his body and he rubbed his hand up and down her back to sooth her. She was never comfortable with strange places and people. For a second he wished he'd declined his mother's invitation to dinner, but she seemed so uneasy on the phone he was obliged to be there.

Ryan stopped outside the room and breathed deeply through his mouth, preparing his fakest smile to wear for the night. "Ready?" he asked the toddler and she didn't reply, just hid her face so close to his neck he could feel the air that came out of her nose and mouth as she became anxious. "Yeah, I know how you feel. We will make it fast, alright?" he promised and passed through the door, the smile already glued to his face like having the opportunity to be there was the best thing in the world. _Try the most boring thing in the world, _he thought to himself, rolling his eyes. "Hey mom"

He froze as his eyes spotted the pink sparkling person sitting on the couch. Her blond hair was falling around her shoulders and midway down her breasts. The bitch was back and he already felt like sending her back to NYC. Why, oh why would his mother torture him like this? Being in the same place Sharpay was? For a second the Evans mansion seemed to be too tiny to have both of them there.

Ryan gulped as he noticed a leg beside hers, obliging him to move his gaze slightly to the side and meet the blue eyes that had haunted him so much in high school. His jaw clenched as Troy Bolton locked gaze with him and his heart accelerated. The angry gaze they shared was quickly interrupted by the queen bitch, that had a strange kind of smirk placed on her lips, "Hello brother"

He lost his words and held Emmy tighter to his body, trying to think of the best way to go back to his car and get the hell out of there before people began to suspect that the baby was not his. Before Troy could have a look at her. He knew that if Troy Bolton looked at Emmy, everything would be lost. Gabriella would kill him. She'd fucking kill him.

"Ryan!" Heather Evans exclaimed happily as she stood up from the couch, "Your sister decided to surprise us. She came all the way from NYC for the weekend. She bumped into Troy at the airport, can you believe it?" she was still looking at Troy adoringly as she continued her babble, "Of course she invited him for dinner, being as polite as she is…"

The talk seemed to go on forever and he still couldn't pronounce a word not move his body to run out of the room. Thank God Gabriella's daughter was shy and kept her face securely hidden into his neck all the time. Heather turned around and her short blond hair swung as she tilted her head to the side, a large smile adorning her botox looking face, "And you brought Emerson! That's great!"

At the sound of her name, Emerson turned around and stared at the woman that called for her with curious eyes. Ryan cussed under his breath at the same time his mother grinned, "Oh my God… she is so beautiful"

Ryan saw it. He saw the look on Troy's face – the way his lips paled and his eyes widened. He saw as he stood up from the couch, as if in slow motion, attracting the eyes of Robert and Sharpay Evans to him. Ryan saw as Troy swallowed and his hands balled into fists as he stared at the girl intently.

He shut his eyes, shaking his head slightly as the baby turned around to hide again and wrapped her arms around his neck, whimpering. Automatically his hand began to rub her back up and down, as he fought with the urge to storm out of the room and never come back. Sharpay seemed to be unaffected; the spoiled woman only paid attention to her own world. His mother and dad were oblivious as well; both of them didn't seem to feel the tension that filled the air, nor the way Ryan and Troy shared a killing gaze. They didn't seem to feel that the world war III was one step to start.

Shit. Ryan Evans was oficially in trouble. Gabriella was fucking going to kill him. Why, just why couldn't he be lucky for one night? Damn it!

"**Because I can't breathe,  
No I can't sleep,  
I'm barely hanging on.**"


	7. Inked, Chapter 7

_A/n: Thanks for the support always. You guys are very kind for taking your time to review the story and you got no idea how that helps me with my writing. It makes my day to know that you like the story and the way I'm writing this. THANKS! _

_Disclaimer__: I don't own HSM or AJ Rafael lyrics. _

"**Left on a jet plane not too long ago,  
Said out goodbyes by a taxi in the snow,  
Ok, maybe it was rain but,  
I like to think there wasn't so much pain,  
Cuz snow is pure,  
And that's what I thought we were.**

**Sitting here still without anything to do,  
Maybe it's nothing but I gotta see through,  
No, my feelings ain't nothing,  
And I got so much to say,  
But I wanted something else,****  
Not a lonely, lonely day.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 19, 2008.**

"She looks exactly like Gabriella!"

Troy's head and ears perked up immediately at the sound of her name that was still so worshiped by his body, as if he was still 17 years old. Everything related to her never ceased to matter to him, even when they broke relation, he still worried about her. Truthfully, he couldn't think straight every time her name was pronounced, like once in NYC that he heard a little girl call her mother Gabriella and he turned around, praying it would be her and maybe her baby. For a minute, he couldn't process anything – so it didn't really matter if the girl looked like she was already 7, 8 years old, his heart still accelerated as he studied the dark haired mother. Unfortunately it wasn't her. Troy, on the inside, hoped he had a reason to go to her, even after three years. He still wished fate would make them bump into each other one day, for no reason, just to prove they still belonged to each other.

"Emmy looks so beautiful" Heather gushed, playing with a lock of her granddaughter's hair while she elbowed Robert Evans to join in the compliments. Troy was trying his best to have another glimpse at the little girl, but Evans was blocking her from his view. He had swear that for a second, as the baby looked at him, he saw his eyes and mouth. Troy saw his hair and the way she frowned as she studied the strangers was the way his father frowned every time he was worried about something. She looked damn familiar.

"I'm very happy she's back to Albuquerque, Ryan. I miss watching Emerson grow up. She's already two. Oh, time sure does fly"

Troy tried to pretend he was still interested in the bacon-wrapped-steak seated in front of him, but his ears were still trained on the sound of her name, even three years later. He could only hear Heather in the conversation, his mind tuned Ryan off automatically, probably because Troy was fighting the urge to just punch him in the face again, only to 'celebrate' old times.

He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. So she was back in Albuquerque? Fuck, what a coincidence! He had picked the same weekend she had to come back home. Alright, he was only there for a weekend and she was going to stay indefinitely, but that was even better for him. He wanted to approach her one more time, just to see how she looked like after three years, how she had grown, what she was doing.

"In the middle of the night? With a baby? Oh, that's dangerous, Ry!" Troy's heart constricted – it was in his nature to worry about her. Why she still mattered to him so much? Even after so long? Even after her cheating on him? That was probably a very cruel joke from destiny – to fall in love with someone that didn't give a damn about you anymore.

His head whirled with fantasies and dreams about her for so much time. Troy had wished she'd come back to him and tell it was all a joke, for revenge, just to hurt him the same way he hurt her – but Gabriella never approached him, she never looked for him to tell the words he wanted so much to hear. On the contrary, she accepted the fact he stopped talking to her, she didn't seem to miss him and she always looked disgusted when they bumped into each other in East High's corridors.

"Croissant?" Sharpay asked in a french accent, passing the golden plate full of bread and he snapped out of his thoughts, smiling at her politely, "Yeah, thanks"

Troy cringed at the sound of Ryan Evans's nervous laugh. Damn, why couldn't his mind keep blocking him? "Yeah… I know, mom. She's a big girl already"

"She looks so much like Gabriella. I can't believe it" Troy observed as Heather continued complimenting the little girl that still had her back to him. Evans was succeeding in trying to block her from him, the stupid fucker. "But her mouth it resembles so much…" she bit her bottom lip, thoughtfully and Troy could swear he saw Evans gulp, "Oh yeah. Your uncle Adam Astor Evans, he has the same smile"

"Adam Astor…" Troy mumbled to himself, biting the bottom of his lips and frowning. "What the hell?"

Ryan smirked, gazing at Troy quickly with the corner of his eyes. He could see the suspect on his expression, but yet, he didn't look like he was sure the baby was his too. Maybe if he could keep Emerson away from him during dinner and not give a chance to him to study her features better, he wouldn't jump into conclusions. He still might have a tiny chance of saving himself from Gabriella's fury.

He closed his eyes and swallowed quietly and as he reopened it, his green orbs met Troy's hypnotic blue ones. He could feel the ice in Troy's stare burring a hole in the middle of his forehead. Oh boy, if looks could kill…

"So Troy, how's playing for the Knicks?" Robert Evans asked, breaking the gaze from Troy to Emerson's back and Ryan's pale face. Fuck, something was going on and he needed to know what.

_For now be polite Troy. You need to behave if you want to take a look at the baby again, _he warned himself quietly and fake smiled, "Hmm, it's great sir. The guys are very cool"

"When Sharpay told me she run into you in the airport I couldn't believe it" Heather grinned sweetly, "Bumping into someone in huge NYC - that sounds like a movie"

"Maybe it's fate" Sharpay suspired tiny-softly, flirting helplessly with Troy. "Don't you think Troy?"

_If bumping into you will lead me to Gabriella, then it's fine for me. _"Maybe" he said slowly, nodding his head lazily, "Who would have thought a weekend home would have so many… uhm…" he looked at Ryan again and raised a single eyebrow, "Surprises"

"Oh, you are so sweet Troy" Sharpay exclaimed dramatically, leaning on him to peck him on the cheek. "Ohh, lipstick" she rubbed his cheek adoringly and he fought the urge to roll his eyes.

_Same, old Sharpay Evans,_ he thought to himself. _And you cheated on Gabriella for her… stupid, always so stupid. _Troy closed his eyes for a second as he sunk in the image of Ryan Evans in front of him again and the bile rose to the back of his throat. He was so glad he was a grown up now or he wouldn't be able to control the anger that was boiling inside of him along with the images of the last time he talked with Gabriella. God, he was there again, holding the girl that was supposed to be his daughter, not his.

_You've been there before, Troy. Don't do that again_, he muttered internally again, knowing he should ignore the haunting presence of her daughter, the man and the past he had with Gabriella. Troy knew that he still loved her somehow, but he couldn't give himself the opportunity to think about her, not after three years – not after finally picking up the pieces of his heart. It took him too long to get here, to feel half complete again… to be able to breathe again. He was used to the cold already; he could live with it a few more years.

But again… something inside of him was commanding him to take another look at the baby, just one more. His body thirsted for it, the same way he once craved to introduce himself to Gabriella, to be with her. It was like his cold heart was begging for the little girl. So, so weird.

If there wasn't anything on her that was related to him, why feel this way? _Ask about Gabriella, ask about the girl, please_, he prayed quietly as he locked a urgently gaze with Heather Evans, but the middle aged woman just smiled contently at him, completely oblivious to his agony. _Damn. _

Ryan's cell phone rang loudly and the blond quickly searched for it inside his pocket, frowning when he checked the ID. "I gotta answer that" he excused himself and Troy wished he let the girl with his mother, at least to give full attention to his mobile, but he never let go of her. The blond put the baby on the floor and Troy watched hypnotized as her chestnut floppy hair fell on her eyes, covering the face he wanted so much to observe. The toddler looked up at Ryan and he bit the inside of his cheek as they clapped hands, Ryan grinning at the toddler, "It's mommy, princess"

Ah, Troy knew very well what he was feeling right now. It was once a very common sentiment: jealousy. He wanted to be the one Gabriella was calling. He wanted to be the one the girl was holding hands with. He wanted to have the two of them in his life. _That's what you get for being a fucking cheater, Troy Bolton. You could be the one in his position. You could be wearing the same proud smirk he is._

"Fucking Evans" he mumbled quietly to himself as he watched the baby and Ryan disappearing from the room. His control was quickly vanishing…

"You said?" a yelp of surprise rolled off Troy's mouth as he recognized the high pitched tone of voice of Sharpay. He blushed immensely and locked gaze with her, "Uhm… the bathroom--" he cleared his throat, "Where's the bathroom, please?"

* * *

"Stay here, sweetie" Ryan instructed as he sat Emerson on the first step of the staircase, pressing the button 'yes' and greeting Gabriella charmingly. He laughed when she talked, getting lost in the conversation. The big hazel eyes looked up at him as he gesticulated and paced up and down the hall, having a heated conversation with Gabriella. Emerson's green orbs wandered around the hall, taking in the walls, paintings, arm chairs and…

Oops, what was that?

She narrowed her eyes and frowned deeply as a fluffy white tail moved slowly from under the arm chair. The thing that amazed her ran faster to another room and she found herself mouth opened. The toddler looked down and checked her stuffed toy she loved so much and then the blue cat on her I LOVE CATS shirt. Her tiny fingertips touched the soft material and she traced the tail with her hand. It looked exactly like the one that just ran from the hall. It was the kitten from the book. The kitten that confused the moon for a bowl of milk.

Oh, she loved that cat so, so much!

Emerson looked up, certifying herself that Ryan was still concentrated on the phone before standing up on her minuscule feet that was nicely covered with a pink _Dora the Explorer_ sandal to storm after the so beautiful cat. She squealed in delight when she was alone with him in another room. Looking around, she sat on the floor and watched it stop. It was so brilliantly white. She slowly placed both of her hands on the floor, crawling lazily towards the animal. The cat stiffed, studying the toddler with his light green eyes before meowing. Emerson stopped, but instead of backing off to give it space, she clapped her hands animatedly. She copied his meow and giggled.

"Kitty" she sat closer to the cat that surprisingly stood in the same spot, as if he was waiting for the small girl to pat it. Emerson touched a finger to the sparkly pink collar around the cat's neck and he meowed again. She giggled as her tiny hand made contact with the soft fur and his tail wiggled calmly. It felt good, it was even softer than her so adored stuffed cat. Lifting her hand to her shirt and then her face, she sneezed quietly, giggling at the sound of it as she rubbed a small hand to her nose.

"Bless you"

The baby looked back, her big green-hazel eyes scanning the stranger that walked towards where she was and sat down beside her. Troy gasped for air as he finally had the opportunity to explore the little one's features. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her big eyes watched him intently, a mix of light brown and dark green so unique he couldn't remember ever seeing before. The fact the color was amazing was not the only thing affecting him though, it was the shape too. He fucking knew those eyes very well – he saw it everyday when he checked himself on the mirror. It was exactly like his, only with a different color. Emerson looked at him through long, dark eyelashes for a whole minute and moved her attention back to the cat in front of her, her chestnut hair falling on her eyes again. She raised her hand to brush it off her face, but Troy stopped her, catching the hand before it went all the way up.

"Let me do it, huh?" he asked it, but the tone of his voice was like pleading. He not only wanted to touch her, but he needed to touch her. "You don't want fur in your eyes, do you kitty cat?"

"Kitty" she mumbled quietly, pointing to the animal and then her shirt, "Kitty cat"

"Do you like cats, eh?" Troy found himself making conversation automatically, as if his interior craved to have a relationship with the toddler beside him. He didn't want to fall in love with the baby, but it was practically impossible not to literally fall on his knees watching her. The emotions that were already filling his heart were scaring him. It was the same one he only felt for Gabriella. It was like he was deeply connected to the little girl. Damn it, he couldn't afford to care so deeply again. The disappointment of his first time was yet too meaningful to him, still fresh on his mind. He knew he couldn't do it all over again, but why did he feel like he was already falling for the baby's charm then?

_Shit. _

Troy's heart accelerated as Emerson touched again the cat's tail, her sweet baby giggle filling his ears like an angel's sound. God, it was already too late. He was mesmerized, impressed and unbelievably intrigued by the girl. His hand vibrated with the heat that came from her as she grabbed his fingers to make him touch the cat himself. The wave of warmth travelled up his arms extremely fast, and he could literally feel it satisfy his heart. It was a fire he didn't feel for a long time. So much time he couldn't really remember when the last time was.

_Who you're trying to kid, Bolton. _The last time he felt any kind of warmth on his body was with Gabriella, before he cheated on her with Sharpay. And now, this baby touching him was warming his body so powerfully that he could almost feel the flames again. He could almost imagine his life with fire again. Damn, it felt fucking amazing.

"Wow, that's a soft fur, kitten" Troy said playfully and Emerson smiled shyly at him, a tiny dimple forming on her angel face, her thin lips curling up contently. Oh, the familiar smile. His heart pounded violently against his ribcage, making his chest contract painfully and he couldn't help but fall in love with her. He stroked the back of his hand on her soft cheek, smiling in return, "you are so beautiful Emerson" he gushed, "Just like your mummy"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEAR MY DAUGHTER?" Ryan Evans shouted from the doorway, running as fast as he could and scooping up the girl in his arms. His tone of voice scared her, along with the cat that disappeared from the room in less than a second. Emerson immediately started crying as she saw the cat gone and her stuffed toy still on the floor, "STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

Troy felt his heart constricting at the sound of the beautiful baby crying. His hands automatically balled into fists and he breathed through his nostrils. He slowly stood up from the floor, letting his body take the time to recompose or he would punch Ryan in the face for making the smile disappear from Emerson's face. Control was quickly gone everytime Evans was around and he couldn't find any good excuse _not_ to smack the shit out of him like old times. He sure deserved one for freaking the baby out. Troy bent down and collected her stuffed toy, offering it back to her, only to have Ryan snap it out of his hand.

"Emerson Azalia, I asked you to wait for me" Ryan protested, as if the two-year-old could really understand him, "Not to run away"

"Kitty" she whispered and rubbed her crying eyes.

_I'll kill him. I swear I'll kill him. _

"You are stressing her out" Troy hissed between clenched teeth, knowing that something needed to be done, "Calm the fuck down, Evans"

Ryan's face turned to a scowl as he pondered on what 'his enemy' was saying. "You know nothing 'bout babies, Bolton" his neck and ears were getting red as he rocked the girl back and forth in an attempt to make her stop crying, "Shh, Emmy. It's okay"

"She was just patting the cat" Troy protested, his voice already getting a tone louder, "You are overreacting"

_Calm the fuck down, Bolton. _

"Emerson, what your mommy said about talking to strangers?"

_She's only 2 years old, dumb ass. _

The little girl looked at him through wet eyes and Troy found anger boiling inside his body. He was no fucking stranger. He had dated Gabriella. He had been with her. Her mother probably still had his name on her body. Fuck, Emerson was the spitting image of him. He was no fucking stranger, not at all.

"I'm not a stranger" Troy took a step towards Ryan and he backed one step against the wall. Emerson hugged her stuffed cat and squeezed her eyes shut. _Not in front of the kid, Bolton, you'll scare her. _Shit, he needed to use all his remaining energy to keep in control a few more minutes. Only till he could find some place to safely put Emerson and come back to punch Ryan fucking Evans.

_Oh, he might be missing it…_

"You still a stranger to her. Gabriella doesn't want you or Sharpay near Emmy. Stay away from my daughter"

Troy's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name again, but it eased again as he studied Evans's nervous expression. It was like something inside of him told that he was lying. He was nervous for no fucking reason, after all he was only talking with the baby, he didn't do anything wrong. His heart was yelling that Emerson was his… his daughter with Gabriella. The possibility of her never cheating on him was surrounding his body with relief and heat, the heat he didn't feel for a long time now. He was breathlessly. Troy wanted his thought to be true. He wanted to feed his illusion. He didn't want to feel so cold inside anymore, he wanted her warmth, the baby's warmth.

Troy wanted the fire back to his life.

He looked at Ryan again and he obviously had something on his mind and it smelled like fear. Troy opened his mouth to finally say what he really thought, but he snapped his mouth shut as he watched Emerson's confused expression as she accompanied the argument. It was so ridiculously cute, yet disturbing that they were starting a useless argument in front of her that he knew he had to be the first one to stop it.

Evans was not the one he had to go to. He needed to see Gabriella.

She was the one to answer his questions.

Troy Bolton was going to be responsible this time. For the first time in his life.

"Just…" he breathed deeply through his mouth, struggling for the right words. How to be polite talking to fucking Evans? Was it even possible? _Calm down, relax, _he warned himself and scratched the back of his neck, "Can…" he cleared his throat. _I can't do it, damn it. _Troy looked again at Emerson and she was still pouting cutely. _Ohh boy, she will be the death of me. _"Can I hold her? Just… just for a minute, Evans?"

Ryan seemed to be shocked with his politeness and for a second that felt like decades he didn't say anything, as if he was balancing if he should or not let Troy hold the baby. He opened his mouth, but Troy interrupted him.

_Fuck, kill me now. _"Please?"

"No" Ryan frowned as he rubbed the baby's back gently, taking her far from Troy and midway out of the room. "Stay away from her. Don't touch Emerson again. I mean it, Bolton"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 21, 2008.**

"_Troy Bolton, this is unacceptable"_ a high-pitched feminine voice roared and Troy had to pull the phone from his ear if he wanted to still be listening to the rest of the conversation. He hated when she screamed. Why the fuck he needed so many drama queens in his life? _"How come you're not coming back to NYC?"_

"Kia" he sighed tiredly, pressing the phone to his ear again when she silenced, "Let me explain to you one more time. My mom, the woman that put me into the world, that took care of me my entire life needs me here for a few days. I don't fucking care if you're having a fucking stroke just because I won't be home tonight and you can't control my life, but I'm staying here. Do I need to be clearer than that or the cuss was enough to make you understand?"

He had to smirk when he heard the gasp through the phone and the resentment in her voice, _"No, you made yourself very clear" _

"Great"

"_When you're coming back?"_

Fucking controlling PR. shit. Avoiding the wish to say 'I'll come back when I want', Troy rolled his eyes and sighed deeply through his mouth. "In a week, Kia. That's all the time the coach gave me"

The fact he had already called the coach seemed to please her, and when she spoke again, her voice was already controlled and very pleasant. _"Can you give me your hotel number in case I need to talk to you?"_

"You have my cell number" he reminded her, "and I'm staying at my mom's. And no, I can't give you her phone number. She doesn't like you, remember?"

She scoffed and Troy could picture her rolling her eyes, _"Why not?"_

"Maybe because you're fucking controlling and you already call me a thousand times per day?"

"_You are not grateful at all, Troy Bolton"_ Kia state calmly, _"Behave, I don't need trouble to deal while you are away, agreed?"_

"Goodbye Kia" he rolled his eyes and flicked his phone shut, breathing in relief when all he heard was silence, not Kia Uma's screams anymore. He liked the woman, he seriously did. She was the best PR he could have hired and she used to have his back all the time. But ever since he became one of the best players on the team, she had turned into a fucking psycho. Kia nagged all day long and Troy was exhausted of listening. He was tired of the pressure and tired of having 24 hours of his life observed. He just wanted a fucking day off.

At least a week.

"That's why you lied to her and the coach anyway" he mumbled to himself as he walked out of the hotel and into the parking area where his car was parked. Yes he had lied to them that his mother needed him, but it was for a good cause.

Troy needed to see Emerson again. He had to talk to Gabriella and discover if the girl was his or not. He couldn't help but think about the baby's eyes and that familiar smile of hers since the time he saw her two days ago. It was impossible to forget the sensation of suspecting she was his. It was like fate was giving him another chance to work things out with Gabriella. To have a family with her. He was not the stupid 17 year old boy that cheated on her anymore. He had grown up, he was mature now.

Fine, he was not the most responsible guy in the world, but he was trying. Troy still went out almost every night in NYC and he used to have every fucking pussy in the state – models, actress, singers, but he was tired of being like this. He wanted to settle down; he wanted to actually feel something for a girl. Not any ordinary girl, he wanted the one he still loved back. Troy wanted Gabriella.

He was keeping his promise of being away from trouble, but nobody seemed to have a little faith in him. Everybody was always suspecting, always advising and it was fucking boring. He knew how to take care of himself. It didn't matter if he had status, money and all the girls in the world now, he was still the same Bolton.

So what if he didn't like playing basketball when he moved to New York? All that mattered was that playing ball was the way he paid his bills now. When Jack said his time was over, what he expected? What he imagined his father would tell him to do? He wouldn't advise him being a poet or becoming a dancer. He would play ball. It was the only thing Troy Bolton was good at, it was the only thing that didn't bore him too much.

That was what he got for being so fucking confusing. All he did was fill the application to U of A and a year later, he was already in NYC. But what could he do? He couldn't think of anything fun, he still had this problem. It was like his life was over since Gabriella. Life was fucking boring without her.

He tried travelling but it didn't work. He tried dating someone else and nope, still nothing. So when Jack came home one night with his future decided, all Troy could do was accept. So here he was, three years later, a good basketball player, tons of money to spend and a top floor apartment in New York, the city that never sleeps. Alright, he was still alone, but at least he had a place to stay, a car to drive and money to buy video games. However, he wouldn't think twice if something he really wanted showed up and he had to give up his status. He'd abandon it all in a blink of an eye. That was the only good consequence of not choosing his future, he could walk away whenever he felt like he was tired of it, because in the end of the tunnel, it wouldn't be his dream he'd be crushing, it would be somebody else's.

Now it seemed that life was giving him another opportunity though… he had a powerful hope that his life was about to change drastically and he couldn't be happier about it. Retrieving his phone from his jeans pocket, Troy leaned against his rented black BMW X5 SUV, dialed the familiar number and waited. "Hey mama. Yeah, I'm still in Albuquerque" he smiled, nodding his head as he pushed off of the car and pressed the alarm to unlock it, "Yep, for another week" he laughed lightly, "Yeah, I knew you'd like it. Of course I'm having dinner with you, I just need to stop by a place very quickly on my way home. 'Kay, tell dad hi too. See you later"

* * *

Oh boy, another day.

Gabriella sighed as she walked down the stairs from her temporarily home on top of the store, the apartment her mother had lived in the beginning of her career, with Emerson firmly attached to her hip. She let her eyes wander around the now empty tattoo shop, studying a brown haired guy that was leaving the place with a huge white bandage on his forearm, smiling when Emmy's eyes focused on him too and she lifted her hand as they walked closer to the middle aged man to touch his newly made tattoo covered with gauze, whimpering when Gabriella held her hand to stop her midway.

"Wait mommy here, beautiful" she mumbled into her hair, sitting the little girl on the arm chair previously taken by the guy's wife. Emerson shrugged, sucking on her thumb as she watched her mother lean on top of the marble _Skin Deep_ counter and greet Kelsi. "We have a baby situation. Emmy's sick"

"Is it contagious?" Kelsi grimaced, but Gabriella quickly shook her head. She didn't need her best friend afraid to get closer to her daughter, not when she planned to ask a favor in a couple of minutes. "Just a fever. I think Ry fed her too much ice cream"

Shrugging her shoulders, she smiled, "Probably. He spoils Azzy way too much"

"Yeah" Gabriella grinned, "But I gotta go to the bank for an hour. Could you take a look on her?"

"Sure. I'm free now" Kelsi turned the counter around, bending down next to the arm chair, "What's up?"

"I don't think she understands that, by the way" Gabriella giggled and retrieved her car keys from her back pocket, "I'll be back as soon as possible"

Emerson observed as her mother waved at her, blowing a kiss as she walked over the door and closed it with a loud _thump_. Her big eyes widened and her bottom lip trembled slightly, "Momma?"

"Your mom will be right back, Azzy" she grabbed the baby in her arms and sat her on the counter top, "Don't cry okay? We're gonna have fun"

As fast as she began whimpering, she shut up. Her eyes were concentrated on Kelsi's arm, making the older girl raise her eyebrows in suspicious, following her gaze to see what she looked so much at. Seeing nothing, she looked up at the girl again. A minute had passed and the little girl was still staring at her in complete silence.

"Emerson, what are you staring at?" she snapped her fingers in front of the toddler, trying to get her attention back, "Oh God. I didn't break you, did I? Oh crap, your mom is going to kill me if something happens to you" Kelsi lifted her head by her chin, her heart already accelerating, "Azzy, come on, don't play statue, not now please"

Her eyes focused on Kelsi's nervous expression and she reached her hand to touch a fingertip to the fairy tattoo on her arm, "Tinkerbell"

_Oh, she's alive, _she breathed in relief and as Gabriella's daughter smiled shyly at her, she couldn't help but grin. Was she finally getting comfortable to talk in front of what were considered strangers? Gosh, she hoped so. "Do you like fairies?"

The toddler nodded her tiny head up and down, her chestnut floppy hair moving frantically as she showed a sign of being excited because of Kelsi's tattoo. "Do you like tattoos?"

Emerson only nodded again and Kelsi's hope of having a conversation with her vanished as she seemed she just lost her voice again. She sighed; she had to understand that Gabriella's daughter was a very shy and quiet baby, always very nice, never crying or complaining about anything. Not that it was bad at all, she thought it was great, she had been a quiet child herself and look at her now. She was very sociable.

She had come to learn in those two years that Emerson was not a common baby. She was special for her age. She was nothing like the babies from the movies she watched her entire life. Those babies were bad, really bad; they yelled, threw food and fucked up designer shoes.

Kelsi looked down and smiled adoringly at her red stilettos that matched her stylish glasses. Looking up at Emerson again she saw her smiling a toothy smile at her. She was definitely unique. Firstly, she was polite, she almost never cried, only whined. Secondly, she was independent, if she wanted food, she'd ask. If she was tired, she'd just raise her arms and ask whoever was in front of her for a comfortable shoulder to lay her head and take a nap. Thirdly, she was, and Kelsi was a hundred percent sure of this now, a toddler with the soul of an old woman.

Whenever Gabriella had mentioned her that her daughter was way mature for her age, she'd think she was just exaggerating because, well, mothers did that, right? Every mother thought their baby was the most adorable, intelligent and sweet thing in the world, so her best friend wouldn't be different. But naw, Gabs wasn't lying. Azzy was one of a kind.

"I have other tattoos too" Kelsi said, lifting up her hair and turning around to show two little starts inked to her neck, "It's a star, see it?"

"Twinkle star" she touched her minuscule thumb across the yellow and blue starts, "Twinkle, twinkle little star"

"Yeah, just like the lullaby" Kelsi laughed, turning around and brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, "hey, I'll tell you what. If you give me a nice big hug, I'll give you a prize"

_Let Gabriella hear you are bargaining her two-year-old, Kelsi. _Her hazel eyes blinked more than a star as the word prize came out of Kelsi's lips and she laughed again, "Ooh, you like presents, uh?"

The toddler nodded, "Tattoo"

She wrapped one arm around the tiny waist of the baby to hold her in place and leaned on the counter, to open a drawer and collect a purple box. "You know what I have here, Azzy?"

She looked hesitantly, but didn't respond. "One time there was this mom that came to the shop with her baby and the boy got stressed and cried very loud. Do you know what loud means?"

Emerson quickly covered her ears with her tiny hands and Kelsi smirked, "Exactly. So I decided I'd have something for kids here, too" she opened the box and offered the little girl, loving that she promptly searched for a piece of paper with a removable tattoo for kids inside of it, "I have a bird, the sun and a bug, what do you want?"

Her big eyes checked all the tattoos, as if she was considering what to get. Kelsi smirked, grabbing her in her arms. She yelled over her shoulder that she'd be back in a few minutes and the cleaning lady that constantly helped her to answer the phone when she was out, just nodded in understand. "Well, Azzy. I think we should go grab a drink. It seems like sugar could help you decide"

* * *

Ten minutes later they were back, hands clasped, a big grin on Emerson's face and a coffee for Gabriella. She spotted a black shiny SUV parked in front of the shop, but still no sign of Gabriella's red car. "Ha, your mom's not here yet" Kelsi swung their joined hands back and forth as they approached the front door, "She'll faint when she sees you"

"Tattoo" Emerson grinned, looking up at her new best friend that had just inked a removable tattoo to her small arm, "Yeah, she'll love it sweetheart"

Kelsi pushed the door open, leading the baby by the back of her head inside. Letting Emerson walk in first, she kicked the door closed with her foot, looking up as she observed a pair of black converses patting the floor impatiently. She smirked at the possibility of a new customer, but her smile faded away as soon as her green eyes locked with the floppy hair of no one else than Troy Bolton.

He was sitting on the arm chair, reading a magazine very calmly, as if he didn't know the place he was, nor the person that owned the store. He looked the same even though the last time she saw him was three years ago, at graduation day. Troy looked taller and more muscular now, but his dirty sandy hair and features were still gorgeous.

Troy moved his gaze abruptly to the girls as the door closed and he grinned sincerely as his eyes captured the small person dressed in dark skinny jeans, white converse and a yellow shirt with a fluffy gray cat on it. His eyes blinked in happiness as he put the magazine aside, standing up swiftly and crouching down in front of the toddler, "Hey kitty cat"

"Clip" Emerson patted her head lazily, smiling slyly. Troy laughed automatically, as if everything she done was the most incredible thing in the world and touched his index finger to the yellow hair clip that was holding securely the bangs he saw falling in her eyes two days ago, "You are looking very cute today, miss. Kitty cat"

Kelsi observed as he stroked the back of his hand on her cheek and Emerson smiled proudly. Troy looked up at her, like it was the most expected thing for him to do and greeted her calmly, "Hey Kelsi"

Her eyes were still widened and her chest rising up and down as she fought to normalize her breathing when her mouth opened. The first sound that came out of it was like a burp and she had to clear her throat. "H-how do you know her?"

"I was at the Evans house two days ago. I was impolitely introduced to Emerson" he added as a matter-of-fact, standing up straight again. Kelsi quickly scooped the girl up in her arms, wondering why the hell Ryan didn't tell Gabriella that Troy had seen the baby. God, she'd freak out.

She placed Emerson on the top of the marble counter, searching for a piece of paper and a pen with shaky hands, sliding it on the counter to her as soon as she found one she could use, "Sweetie, why don't you draw the cat you saw the other day? The one you were telling your mommy about?"

The toddler nodded fervently, grabbing the pen clumsy and the paper, "Tattoo?" she frowned adorably and Troy couldn't help but smile, "yeah, draw that too. Go ahead" she smiled warmly at her, "Our next client is coming any minute, make it beautiful alright Azzy?"

Troy observed as Emerson looked down at the paper, touching the red crayon and starting what he imagined was the tattoo, or the cat, or just... something. Still, even if he couldn't detect what she was doing, he thought it was amazing.

"She's mine, isn't she?" his husky voice made Kelsi gulp and she looked at him with the corner of her eyes for a second that lasted forever. She fixed her glasses back to her nose and shook her head slowly, "She's Ryan's, Troy. You always knew that"

"I'm not stupid Kelsi" he whispered to her, avoiding the urge to reach with his hand and touch the little girl's arm just to feel her warmth again. "I see myself in her. Gabriella lied, didn't she?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Troy" Kelsi snapped nervously, "I don't know why you're here"

Troy shrugged, "It is a tattoo shop, isn't it? Maybe I want a tattoo"

"You could always go someplace else. It's Gabriella's store. She doesn't want to see you, she doesn't want you near her daughter"

"Why not?" he tilted his head to the side to study his ex-girlfriend's best friend's body language. He was absolutely sure they were hiding something from him, he just needed to prove that. "If Emerson is not my daughter, why doesn't she want me near her?"

"Because you hurt her very much" she hissed bitterly and Troy cringed, "Isn't it reason enough?"

"If that's the reason, she hurt me too" Troy said softly, running one hand through his hair, "Kelsi, listen. I need to talk to Gabriella"

"She's not here. You are not welcome here" she sighed, "Please go away Troy"

He shook his head stubbornly, "I want a tattoo. I'm a customer like everyone else"

"Crap" she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. "Fine. Do you want a tattoo? Then you'll get one"

He grinned, "Cool. You heard that kitty cat? I'll get a tattoo"

"Tattoo" Emmy pointed to her little arm and smiled proudly. Troy localized the ladybug on her and smirked, "Nice ladybug"

Emerson smiled and he saw the tiny dimple on her face again. Damn, she was so beautiful. He wanted her for him. "Buggy"

"Yeah" he chuckled quietly, "It's cool, really hardcore. Maybe I should make one too"

"Oh please" Kelsi muttered, shaking her head irritated. "Can't you just choose what you want and come back tomorrow? We don't ink people the same day"

"Sure" he shrugged his shoulders, "What do you have?"

"Where are those damn catalogues…" she searched around, sighing when she couldn't see any of the books with samples of tattoos, "Come with me, Azzy" she tried to pick her up, but the toddler shook her head, whining quietly and pointing to the piece of paper as she held the crayon tightly in her hand. She was obviously not finished and Troy liked it.

"I'll look after her" he offered, biting the inside of his cheek to avoid smiling at Kelsi's affected expression, "I won't steal her. She will be here when you come back. I promise"

Groaning she nodded once, before walking to the back of the store and into the little office. Troy looked at Emerson as she finished her drawing. "So, what's that?"

She looked up and gave him the paper, "Uhmm…" he tried to find any sense on her doodles, but it was all just ridiculously childish and sweet, "It's beautiful, what's that?"

"Kitty"

"Wow, you do love cats, eh?"

Emerson shrugged off and slid her left thumb inside her mouth, sucking it slowly. With her other hand she rubbed her sleepy eyes and stared at Troy with pleading puppy eyes. "What?" he gasped, frowning slightly when she lifted one arm, moving her little hand open and close, "Oh. You're tired, aren't you?"

He looked back, searching for any sign of Kelsi coming, but she was maybe having a hard time finding the catalogues. _Thank God._ Emerson whimpered, her hand balling into a fist as she sucked on her thumb rhythmically. Troy licked his bottom lip, taking a step closer to her. Picking her carefully in his arms, he awkwardly held her against his chest, trying to find the most comfortable place to let her snuggle.

The wave of heat collapsed on his body brusquely and Troy had to lean against the counter, afraid his legs wouldn't hold his whole weight. God, the little girl had such a different effect on him. He wondered if everybody felt like this or if it was only him. She moved her little head against his chest and the suck on her thumb grew gradually slower. Troy tried to stead his breath and nervousness just in case it would stress her. God, was he even holding her correctly? Damn his parents for never giving him a little brother or sister and his family for having no small kids.

"Is it better?" he asked as his nose nuzzled the top of her head, smiling slightly as she forced herself up and laid her head on his shoulder, one arm automatically wrapping around his neck. At least she did seem comfortable and she felt good against him. She was so perfect and he could only remember one person being as perfect as Emerson was in his arms... Gabriella Montez.

Jesus Christ, now more than ever, he missed her so, so much. It felt exactly like having her back.

It felt like being home after so much time away.

Emerson sighed tiredly, squeezing her eyes shut as she yawned, her thumb never leaving her mouth. Troy followed the instincts he didn't know were inside of him and rocked her back and forth, switching his weight from one foot to another till he heard the softly snore escaping from her slightly parted lips. Was she already sleeping?

Her finger that was in her mouth fell numb to the side of her body, together with her other arm that was around his neck. He took the opportunity to caress her little arm, taking in her beauty. "You are so freaking beautiful" he mumbled into her hair, rubbing his nose onto her forehead tenderly.

"Sorry it took so long, the phone rang—holy fuck" Kelsi gasped, "You made her sleep?"

"I didn't do anything, she just… slept" Troy said honestly, wrapping one arm protectively around the baby's body, feeling like his heart was growing twice its size as he held the girl he wanted so much to be his in his arms for the first time. "Kelsi please…" his voice was urgent, low and pleading. "Tell me she's mine"

"Troy—"

He reluctantly moved his gaze from the sleeping beauty to the brown haired woman next to him and she could notice his eyes were slightly wet with tears of sheer joy or maybe it was agony. Was he in pain?

"If she's mine I have the right to be with her. I want to be part of her life"

"She's…" Kelsi bit her bottom lip, studying his sincere expression. Was she the right person to tell Troy the truth about Emerson? That she was in fact his daughter, his own and flesh blood? Was she in the position to choose what was best for the baby? Kelsi knew Gabriella was the only one able to make a decision that big. Her best friend of all life was always very smart when it concerned her daughter's future. If she wanted Troy out of her baby's life, there was a reason to that. She had to stick to her friend, be loyal with the one she liked the most, the one that really knew what was best for little Emerson. She would have to let Gabriella deal with it by herself.

"Emerson's not yours, Troy. Seriously, get over it"

He nodded his head slowly and his mouth twisted in a hard line. Passing the asleep baby to Kelsi's arms he felt the warmth of the little girl's body against his vaporize. "She's precious" he brushed her chestnut hair from her forehead with his fingertips and sighed, "I'll be back, Kelsi. I'm convinced she's mine and I'm not giving up my daughter"

"Troy, please—"

Troy shook his head, interrupting her, "Tell Gabriella I'm not mad she's been lying for three fucking years. I think I understand why she did it," he said softly, rubbing one hand across his face and neck as he tried and massaged the tension away. Stepping closer to the door, he opened it before looking back at Kelsi, "I just want what's mine back. I'm not wasting any more time"

"**There's gotta be more to this old city,  
I wanna go back,  
But things ain't so pretty back home,  
You gave me a breath of fresh air, darlin****',  
But now I'm hoping for more than this.**

**Little piece of home, little piece I know,  
Please don't let me go.  
Little piece of home only thing I know,  
I don't wanna be alone.**"

* * *

_Sorry if there are no Troy and Gabby this chapter... I wanted to think of her emotions a bit longer... haha and yeah, give you guys a Troyson moment haha! Okay, next chapter things get craaaazy =)_


	8. Inked, Chapter 8

_A/n- If you're a mom, happy Mothers day! Especially to my mommy haha love you, mom! Even if you don't read fan fictions… Hmm, actually, that's great cuz I really don't want you reading the sexual stuff I write =) _

_Okay, so really quick cuz I wasn't supposed to be online right now! Sorry I took so long to update, but I was really feeling… hmm… blah about the story and this chapter in particular haha … hope you like though. I'll try not to be so 'blah' next time… I guess lol. Gonna wait for your response though, see if you all can cheer me up a bit about Inked :P I don't have much time to edit the chapter right now, so sorry for any mistakes and sorry 'bout the format lol. I'll fix it later. And ha, I don't have a song as well, but who cares? I don't! :p _

_Thanks for the reviews and PMs! About Gabriella... she'll get there. Give her time and don't feed the hate monster. =)_

_Ahh, READ Entre Toi et Moi and Brantwoods' Cowboy! Seeya!_

_Disclaimer: I dont own HSM or Adeaze lyrics. _

"**Listen to me, I'm feeling afraid,  
Of something in my life that's wrong,  
And don't try to tell me that I'm ok,  
Don't worry because I am strong.  
I know it gets hard sometimes,  
But remember that I'm only human.  
And the things that I face are the same things  
That you can't help me overcome.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO****.  
AUGUST 21, 2008.**

Kelsi couldn't concentrate on her work as she tried her best to block the negatives thoughts that assaulted her mind, like the ones of Gabriella killing her for letting Troy hold Emerson and Ryan for never telling her that he saw the baby, and work on the tattoo sketch of her most loyal client Sondra.

When the day started she was actually thinking of how fucked up the woman sounded on the phone as she scheduled an appointment for the next day to ink a heart and a knife to her skin because she recently achieved to get herself a broken heart. She had even thanked for having such a non complicated life. Now she was really afraid Gabriella would literally get a knife and stab her heart, just like in Sondra's tattoo.

"Talking about the devil…" she mumbled to herself as she spotted Gabriella walking inside the shop again, holding a big brown bag under her arm, smiling slightly as she nodded her head in greet. Kelsi gulped, this was now or never for her. She had to tell Gabriella about Troy being at the shop. She had to tell about Ryan's secret.

The brown eyes of Gabriella Montez wandered around the hall, in search for her daughter, staring at the shaky presence of her best friend behind the counter. Her eyes widened slightly as her heart accelerated. The look on Kelsi's face was not good… that probably meant something happened with…

"Where's Em, Kelsi?"

"She's sleeping in the office" she said softly and Gabriella relaxed slightly, "In a crib, Gabs"

"I get highly worried about her all the time…" she admitted lazily, "Sorry 'bout that"

"Hmm… yeah…" Kelsi struggled for words, trying to process the best way to tell her best friend the terrible news about Troy Bolton. She came to the conclusion that if she said it really fast, the pain would be almost inexistent. At least that was what she hoped. "Gabs, we got a problem"

"What's up?" she put the bag aside, turning the marble counter around and resting her elbows on top of the slightly cold material, smirking as she analyzed Kelsi's project, "Having a hard time?"

She nodded slowly and groaned, "Stupid heart and knife"

Gabriella noticed how her hands trembled as she touched the pencil to the piece of paper again. Kelsi closed her eyes and breathed through her mouth. Frowning, she touched her best friend's arm, rubbing it up and down to calm her down, "Do you want me to do it? You could go get some fresh air…" she suggested, stealing the yellow pencil that her hand was wrapped strongly around, "You look stressed, Kelse…"

"I am"

"What's going on?"

"Gabs listen," Kelsi tilted her brown haired head to the side and reluctantly locked eyes with the dark haired beauty, chewing on her lip as she struggled for her words again, "First of all, promise me you won't freak out, okay?" she asked helplessly and Gabriella nodded fervently, but deep inside she knew it would be impossible for her to keep calm when she heard what she had to say.

"Kelsi, you're scaring me… Say it already"

She breathed through her nostrils and nodded her head up and down, encouraging herself to be strong and tell everything to Gabriella. She opened her mouth, but closed it quickly as Emerson's cry could be heard in the entire shop, so loud and agonizing she grimaced. Before she could really blink, her best friend was already gone, to the rescue of her precious baby daughter and she was alone, the speech she had been practicing to herself for more than an hour stuck in the back of her throat. Kelsi needed to say it all already or she'd have a stroke. It was time to tell Gabriella everything – she deserved the truth before Troy showed up again from nowhere.

She followed the brunette to the back of the shop and into the little office where Emerson was previously sleeping. _Already think of a plan, a very good plan, _she said to herself as she made her way inside the red room that was the Skin Deep's office.

"Oh baby, mommy is here, don't worry" Gabriella soothed Emmy on her lap, rocking her delicately back and forth as the girl hid her face in her chest. "Shh, it's okay, it's fine"

Looking at Kelsi she smiled sympathetically, knowing that the thing her friend needed to tell her, as important as it was, could wait till she was sure her baby was fine again. "I think she got scared she woke up in a different place" Gabriella informed calmly, brushing Emerson's bangs from her forehead and kissing the girl sweetly, "Hmm… what's it?"

Gabriella nuzzled her nose to the top of the baby girl's hair, letting the strong masculine scent linger her nostrils. She breathed deeply, taking in the amazing perfume that mixed with Emerson's baby scented shampoo. "wow… that's good" she raised a single eyebrow and looked at Kelsi, "Did you let someone hold her?"

Kelsi gulped, pushing off the office's desk and walking towards Gabriella. "Gabs, that's what we need to talk about"

"I don't mind you let people hold her, as long as they don't run away with my baby" she laughed lightly, caressing the baby's arm, letting her fingertips sooth the agitated body of her little angel. Her hand met the rough piece of skin decorated with the removable ladybug tattoo and her eyes widened, "Alright, that wasn't there when I left to the bank. What's that?"

"It's just a tattoo. She loved it" Emerson looked at Gabriella through still wet eyelashes and she couldn't help but smile, "It's a very beautiful ladybug, baby"

"Buggy"

"Fuck, Gabriella!" Kelsi almost yelled, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation and she cringed at the agony in her tone of voice. Locking eyes with the disturbed expression of her friend, she gasped. "I'm trying to tell you what's going on and you are not coping with me"

"Wow…" she stared blankly at her, standing up. "I thought I wasn't supposed to freak out and you are here cussing. Kelsi, you only cuss when we have huge problems. Should I worry now?"

_Say it, say it out loud. _"Troywashere"

"Uhm… what?"

"He-was-here" she said more paused this time, adding as Gabriella's expression was still puzzled. "Troy Bolton"

"Ooh… what?" her face paled immediately as her brain tried to process the information that just flew from Kelsi's mouth. Troy Bolton? Her Troy Bolton, Emerson's father? In her shop?

Gabriella's knees weakened and she collapsed on the black couch glued against the red wall with a loud noise. Emerson grabbed a handful of her shirt, trying to steady herself as her mother's body began to shake inconsolably. Her breath fastened as her head began to spin around and she fought against the powerful blackout her body wanted her to go through.

"Oh my God, Gabs you alright?"

"Get… Emerson" she said in a whisper, "Please Kelsi"

The tiny adult scooped the baby that looked scared from her mother's arms and held her securely against her chest. "Are you okay? Do you want water?"

"I thought he was in NY… what happened?"

"I don't know, Gabs" Kelsi admitted, "but he saw Azzy. He saw her at Sharpay's house two days ago too" she sat beside Gabriella's trembling figure and the toddler threw herself to her mother's arms again, even as she tried to hold her down in place. "He's suspecting she's his daughter, Gabs"

"Oh no…"

"He's coming back tomorrow to talk to you"

"No…" Gabriella shook her head negatively, her hand flying against her open mouth.

"He said he wants her"

"No!" She shook her head violently again and Emerson jumped slightly in her mother's arms, whimpering quietly as she reached for Gabriella's cheek. "She's mine Kelsi, Emerson's mine!" her eyes became teary as she wrapped arms around the toddler's waist, "He can't take her away from me. She's my baby"

"Gabby please calm down"

"I won't let him" she cussed under her breath, more agitated than before as her mind tried to think of solutions to her big problem. "How could Ryan do this to me?" she cried out, "I trusted him to take care of Emerson and he pushed her in the enemy's arms? That's not fair"

"Gabriella, this is not Ryan's fault. You just need to calm down first" Kelsi cupped her shoulders and held her in place, "Breathe, come on" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine, are you thinkable again?"

"Yes" she lied, her hands still holding tightly against the baby's waist, afraid he could show up any second and steal her away from him. Kelsi narrowed her eyes suspiciously and Gabriella sighed defeated. "Okay, I'm not freaking out anymore…"

"Great. As I said he only suspects she's his. We gotta stick to what we consider the truth. You need to convince him she's Ryan's daughter, not his"

"That's impossible Kelse" she ran her hand through her thick hair, "Look at her, she's the spitting image of him. I think I should go back to Santa Fe—"

"No, Gabriella. If you run away he'll be sure you're hiding something" Kelsi stood up and chewed on her bottom lip, "We need to take Emerson from the shop tomorrow. Do you think you can ask Ryan to take care of her? Because Troy said he wants a tattoo, so he'll be back to it tomorrow" she rolled her eyes at Gabriella's annoyed expression, "Yeah, he is using the tattoo as an excuse to be around, I know. Anyway, when he comes tomorrow, you'll convince him that she's not his. You can't get nervous or struggle for words if you don't really want him near her… but if you do, there's always—"

"I don't want him near her" she interrupted Kelsi, clenching her jaw. "I swear if I see him, I'll kick him out of the shop with my own foot. I don't even mind I'm still paying for my Christian Louboutin, I'll do it"

"That would be fun, but I'm sure his butt can take a lot" she reminded as a matter-of-fact, "You want your daughter, don't you?" Gabriella nodded, "Do you think he's a good company to her?" she shook her head negatively, "And why is that?"

"He can't commit" she cried out, "You know that. She'd fall in love with him and he'd hurt her"

"Exactly" Kelsi agreed wisely, "And mostly, even if he looks regretful or handsome than before you gotta be tough. He is still the same cheater you knew three years ago. Isn't that enough motivation to make you sure you need to protect Azzy from him?"

Gabriella lips twisted in disgust as she nodded, the image of Troy and Sharpay kissing back to her mind. Standing up from the couch with her daughter in arms, she wore the determined expression Kelsi was waiting for. "You are absolutely right. Troy Bolton won't hurt my baby like he hurt me"

"That's the way to think about it"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE****, NEW MEXICO****.  
AUGUST 22, 2008.**

"He's outside…" Kelsi said from the doorway, "I think he's waiting for you"

Ryan had just collected Emerson to take her to his mother's house, after apologizing a thousand times for putting the baby in danger. Gabriella had said they could talk later because he needed to disappear with Emerson from the shop as fast as he could. So he did what she asked, promising to really take care of her this time.

Gabriella narrowed her eyes from behind her desk as she gazed up from her sketch to the agitated presence of her best friend standing in front of her. Rubbing one hand across her face she sighed tiredly and nodded her head slowly up and down. She placed both of her hands on top of the table and pushed her body up from the chair, cupping on the edge of the wooden material of the desk as she felt her legs lose its balance slightly.

"Are you going to talk to him outside?" Kelsi asked and she nodded, "There are people inside. I don't want a scene in front of our clients"

"Maybe that's better. I'll lock the door if you guys start to scream"

Rolling her eyes she offered a tiny smile to Kelsi, passing by her as she made her way outside the office and along the tattoo's beds, greeting the chubby man that waited for Kelsi to return and begin his piece of art skin. Marty grinned at Gabriella, winking flirtatiously and she avoided the urge to roll her eyes. She breathed deeply as her hand touched the cold doorknob of the door and she gazed back over her shoulder to receive a reassuring look from Kelsi and a thumb up.

The wind blew past her as she opened the door and walked outside of the shop, shutting the door hard behind her. Her eyes narrowed as the sunlight hurt her face and she took one step forward to hide from it. Gabriella's brown eyes locked at his masculine figure leaned against a black SUV, arms crossed against his muscular chest, dark jeans hugging his toned legs and perfect sculptured butt perfectly. His blue shirt probably matched his eyes, but she couldn't see the baby blue color she always loved so much since his eyes were hidden behind his black aviators.

His torso and arms were very muscular and he looked taller, at least taller than she remembered him being last time they saw each other. Troy Bolton looked the same: he still wore basketball shoes, he still had both of his ears pierced, his hair was still floppy and messy, dipped strategically bellow one eye. Gosh, she felt 17 again.

Her hands became sweaty and her heart accelerated, almost exploding against her ribcage, beating as fast and as loud as three years ago. She could feel the adrenaline running through her veins as she approached him, taking her time to cross the parking lot and get to his car, using the time to control her body again. Because she needed to control her body, she was not the girl Troy Bolton met at the supermarket years ago. She was now a new Gabriella, an adult and a mother.

A mother fighting for her daughter.

And Troy still looked like the same irresponsible teenager that ran from the police, got in trouble and cared about anything or no one. She once thought she really could change him or at least accept him the way he was, but she knew it was impossible. He would always be the same old cheater for her – the guy that sliced her heart to pieces and the one she needed to protect Emerson from.

At least her he wouldn't hurt.

"Hey Gabriella" he said slowly, looking down at her as she stopped in front of him, placing a hand on her crooked hip like before. His insides melted with sweet memories of the first time they hooked up together and he found himself smirking. "Long time no see"

She nodded just once in greet, an awkward silence filling the place as she commanded herself not to make small talk with him and he checked his ex girlfriend out. Wetting his bottom lip, he noticed how gorgeous she still looked. She actually looked better, sexier than ever now that he knew that she was not only the girl he loved, but the mother of his daughter. Something about her carrying his child made him more attracted to her than before.

Gabriella's body was still petite and her green V neck t-shirt clung to her body like a second skin, embracing her breasts tightly and the neckline of the shirt showed the exact amount of skin to drive a man crazy begging for more. Her skinny dark jeans were so tight he could feel the familiar sensation of his dick twitching pleasurably inside his boxers as he watched her. It appeared it didn't matter if it was three or three hundred years without seeing Gabriella, but his body still recognized her very well and acted the same when she was around. She had a black leather bracelet around her wrist that matched her high heels and as she raised her hand to brush her hair out of her face, he noticed the silver rings that adorned her thumb, index and ring fingers of her right hand. She was fucking sexy.

Shaking off the sexual thoughts from his head, because deep down his mind kept remembering him that he was there for other purposes than fucking Gabriella wildly against his car, he reached to take off his sunglasses, locking his blue orbs with her brown ones.

"I believe I have an appointment" Troy smirked, "I told Kelsi I'd be back today"

"Hmm, yeah" she raised her hand, signaling for him to wait as she collected a little card inside her back pocket. She shrugged her shoulders, trying to pretend his visit wasn't affecting her at all. She'd do exactly what Kelsi instructed her. "Here, this is my friend's Lizzie tattoo shop. Just down the road. You could always go there" she smiled politely and he felt his stomach tied up in knots seeing her smile after three years. Even if it was a fake one, it still was her smile. "I'm sure she wouldn't try to stick a needle in your vein"

Troy massaged his forehead with his fingertips lightly before reaching for the card, brushing his hand against hers as he retrieved it, ignoring the chills running from her hand to his. He folded the card in half and threw it on the floor, "Don't play with me Gabriella" he hissed softly, leaning closer to her. "Where's Emerson?"

Gabriella clenched her teeth as his perfume lingered her nose; the same perfume on her daughter yesterday. Damn it, he had been closer to the baby than she thought. Her hand still felt numb after his touch, but she ignored it, knowing that if she tried hard she could send the chemistry between them far away. There were already too much emotions pumping inside of her – sadness, anger, fear and unfortunately… lust.

Emotions that together weren't a good combination.

At least not for her.

Not right now.

Not towards Troy Bolton.

Not when she promised herself she'd kick him out of there.

Using her Christian Louboutins' heels.

Damn.

She felt a shockwave run down her spine as he observed her intently like the first time they met, her mind taking her back to three years ago when they got together for the first time in her house. The sensation of being Troy's girl, being kissed and touched by him was still present on mind. The fact her heart was threatening to jump out of her body disgusted her. She hated herself for still feeling too much for Troy. Was she really masochist after all? Did she really enjoy being played, humiliated, hurt and cheated?

For a long time she couldn't imagine herself seeing him again, mostly because she was still hurting and she needed to protect herself and now her daughter from him. Now that he was there in front of her, so beautiful and so intense like before… _Stop it, Gabriella._

She sighed and breathed through her mouth. Right now, as her anger was a bit controlled and she had to admit to herself that the urge to kick him out of her property was no longer filling her heart, the emotions of seeing the father of her daughter and the only man she really fell in love with were still hard to comprehend. She hated him or she wanted to hate him? Gabriella loved him or she didn't want to love him?

One thing she was sure about though, Troy Bolton was trouble and she was determined to stay away from it. It had confused her life too much already.

"My daughter? She's with her father"

"Quit saying shit, Gabriella"

"You are in my property, Troy. Do behave or I won't hesitate to call the police" she warned and he closed his mouth, crossing his arms against his chest again. "What do you want Troy? Why are you here?"

"Emerson." _And you, _he fought with the wish to add the last part, swallowing the unsaid words.

"You have no reason to be looking for my daughter"

Troy rolled his eyes and corrected her, "Our daughter"

Gabriella laughed in disbelief, but her eyes darkened as deep inside she was freaking scared. "She's not yours"

"I know she is. Quit lying to me, dammit"

"Shh, there are people around, Troy!"

He ran one hand through his dirty sandy hair, breathing slowly as he pushed himself off the car and cupped Gabriella's arms gently, pulling her back against the vehicle, "We need to talk and I won't let you go until you tell me exactly what I want to know"

Their bodies burned with the contact and she paled slightly, "Don't touch me"

Troy reluctantly raised both of his hands in the air, but kept in the same place, encaging her against his body and the SUV. "Why don't we get inside? I have a couch where we can sit because being here in the middle of you and your car is really uncomfortable"

"I rather not get comfortable." _If that means I'll have to be far from you, nah, I'm fine like this, _he mumbled to himself, feeling as her body got agitated because of their proximity. He loved she still reacted to him somehow. She raised an eyebrow and he added calmly, "You have too many needles in there" he glanced back at the tattoo shop, "I got a game next week. Gotta be alive"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, leaning back against the car, knowing he wouldn't let her go if they didn't have the talk he was waiting for, "Whatever Troy"

She looked away and he raised his hand to cup her cheek and make her stare at him again. "Don't"

He sighed and let go of her face again, "Why you lied to me?"

"Where did you get the idea I lied to you Troy?"

"Emerson doesn't look like Ryan, Gabriella" he stated genuinely, "She has my smile, my eyes"

_And your hair too, _she thought to herself, biting on her bottom lip as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Her eyes have nothing to do with yours" she lied and he reopened his now dark blue eyes, "Although you crave for her to be your baby and satisfy your male ego that I in fact didn't cheat on you, I'm afraid I'll have to be the one to crush your hopes, Troy. She's not yours"

He took a step closer to her and his arms brushed against hers as he placed both of his hands on each side of her body against the car, "you are... a terrible... liar"

"I'm not lying" she snapped casually, even fooling herself for a second that she was in fact telling the truth. _Oh my, what to do to breathe again? Oh yeah, inhale and exhale… inhale and exhale._ Gosh that was harder than she thought it would be. The proximity of Troy's body to hers seemed to not only confuse her senses, but play with her hormones too. She was still so angry at him, for being the way he was, for doing what he did, but at the same time, Gabriella craved to be his again, just one more time at least.

"If you're telling me the truth, you won't mind if I request a DNA test, will you?"

Gabriella held her breath – no DNA exam… that was impossible. She wanted to tell him that, to scream and push his body away from hers, but his cologne was lingering in her nostrils, making it hard for her to think clearly. Her mouth was dry and she licked her bottom lip slowly as she tried to remember why Troy was there and what she was doing so near him.

_Oh yeah, he cheats and he hurts. _"Isn't my word enough for you?"

Troy touched his mouth to her earlobe, enjoying the fact his arms were shaking tremendously with nervousness and he couldn't hold his weight completely and had to get closer to her. "I think previous facts proved that a person could always surprise us" he used her words from three years ago and she held her hand strongly beside her body to avoid to slap him across the face.

How dare he was using her own words against her? It was so offensive, more when he knew how he hurt her during High School to bring the experience back to her mind. _Stupid, Bolton._

"I can't trust someone that cheated on me… can I?"

"Emerson's not yours" Gabriella repeated, more convincingly this time as the anger boiled inside of her. She pushed him away from her by his shoulders and he raised his eyebrows as he studied her expression, the way she crossed her arms against her body protectively and the way his interior screamed for her warmth again. _Please, touch me again, _he thought to himself. "If you want a tattoo, you can have it, but stay away from my daughter, Troy. I mean it"

"Or what?" he couldn't help but smile playfully at her – she was so fucking sexy when she was angry. Man, he was extremely vulnerable around her. _You are acting like a fucking 17 years old teenager again, Bolton, _his mind mumbled teasingly. _Be a man, control yourself._

"You don't want to mess with a mom, Troy" Gabriella said in a low, dangerous voice, "You have no idea what I'm capable of doing to protect my child"

"I'm not going to hurt her, Gabriella" his eyes softened immediately as he thought about Emerson's angel face. She was too perfect to be hurt. "I just want to spend time with my daughter"

"Emmy has nothing to do with you" she pronounced every word between her teeth, "Dammit Troy. Why can't you just disappear from my life? Gosh, you'll keep haunting us now that you think she is your daughter?"

"I'm no fucking ghost to haunt you. I was never dead, Gabriella" Troy said deliberately, staring incredulously at her, "I just believed the lie you told me. If I knew the baby was mine, I'd never give up on her." _I'd never give up on you._

"I cheated on you" she tried one more time, weaker this time. "Ryan is the father and there's nothing you can do about it"

"I don't give a fuck to what happened in the past anymore, El" he used her former nickname to emphasize the point of him moving on and she shuddered. "I'm looking forward to the future and if she's mine, I want to be part of her life. You cannot deny that to me, Ellie"

_Oh no, not that nickname. _"You can't prove she's yours"

"Oh I can baby" Troy smiled a wide smile that exposed all his perfect glistering teeth, "I'm asking you politely, but we could always go to court, hire lawyers and all that jazz" he stepped back, finally freeing her body from his, "I'm having the DNA exam. Whether you want it or not" he sighed, as if he was reconsidering what he just said, "Think about it, El. If you just admit you lied, I will believe you" his voice softened, "Deep down I know I will"

She observed as he turned the car around, hopping in the driver's seat and starting the engine. Gabriella frowned as she began to walk back to the shop, but he honked, making her stop. Automatically she closed the gap between her and his car again, as though she was made of iron and he was attracting her like magnet. Rolling down the window, Troy's head popped out of it, "By the way, you look very, very hot" he smirked and she felt butterflies in her stomach, "Just thought I'd let you know"

Gabriella shook her head in disbelief, "You're just like the old Troy. Some things never change"

"I'll take that as a compliment" he winked charmingly, but became serious again, "But I'm afraid it's not"

"It's not" she certified him bitterly.

"Ah, that's a shame pet…" he sighed dramatically, flicking his hair out of his eyes and putting his Aviators back to his face, "I'll be back tomorrow, for my tattoo. I was hoping you'd ink me, but I can't trust you with a needle" he chuckled lightly and she clenched her teeth, "Tell my daughter I said hi"

With that, he pushed the gas pedal down and drove off the parking lot. Gabriella stayed there, observing as his car disappeared, feeling slightly happy she'd see him tomorrow again. Groaning, she turned around, walking back to her shop, "Shame on you, Montez. You're so weak, so damn weak"

"**I don't want nobody else,  
I don't need somebody else,  
To tell me about love.  
I am strong on my own,  
But if you think you can tell me  
Why the things I'm doing is wrong,  
It's just me getting stronger.**"


	9. Inked, Chapter 9

_A/N- I changed it all. Ugh, ugh, ugh... hopefully you'll like this once cuz I am really insecure about this!!! The emotions were too strong and I have no idea if I was able to put it all in words! Please say yeah, haha! Take care and behave! ;)_

_Disclaimer: I dont own HSM or Joshua Radin.  
_

"**I need to be bold,  
Need to jump in the cold water,  
Need to grow older with a girl like you,  
****Finally see you are naturally  
The one to make it so easy.  
When you show me the truth,  
I'd rather be with you,  
Say you want the same thing too.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 22, 2008.**

"I was solving fucking problems, Kia. That's why I didn't answer the damn phone. No, no," he shook his head strongly, cussing under his breath as the woman back in NYC kept yelling fervently, "I am not angry. I was not angry till you called with that nonsense bullshit. Yeah, exactly Kia, I don't mind if you feel the need to talk to me every freaking second of your day. I don't want you calling me at the top of her lungs because you couldn't find me for a day. You are my employee. You don't tell the rules, I tell the rules" he growled the last part lowly, squeezing his eyes shut as she continued her speech, "Of course I will fire you if you talk to me like that again. Yes I am sure and I'm not being mean"

Troy Bolton knew the reason he was so mad was not Kia. He knew that not being polite and treating her bad was not the solution to resolve what he had with Gabriella. But the fact that she talked as if she owned his life was ridiculous and he for, what he planned to be the last time, had to tell her that. If she didn't understand calmly, he'd argue and cuss obviously. Everything to protect his almost inexistent freedom.

He cleared his throat, trying to calm himself or else he'd end up breaking another cell phone, "Fine I'm sorry as well. I'm just worried about something and you're right, it's not your fault. Hmm mm," he nodded his head slowly, "But never yell at me again. You are neither my mom nor my wife, so don't do that. And nope, we're not friends as well so I won't tell you what's going on with my life as long as I don't need you to do your job" he sighed tiredly, opening his eyes again, "Yes, goodnight Kia Uma"

Snapping his phone closed, he groaned darkly as he walked to the street and sat on the kerb, still mouthing a few low curses to himself. He had to use all his strength to recompose everytime he had an argument with Kia. There wasn't one person that he admitted screaming at him and the rules weren't going to change because of his fucking spoiled PR.

Troy squeezed the breath in and out of his lungs as he tried to normalize his breathing, his hand still trembling furiously around the silver and black mobile. He needed to calm down or he'd have a stroke at age 21. Releasing the air through his nostrils, he touched the phone to the ground, maybe a bit stronger than he wanted, but still managing to keep the device intact.

He hated the pressure people back home put on his shoulders. Troy felt like he was on the edge of losing his mind every fucking day and that was so frustrating. He detested knowing people like Kia could control him. The fact there were people in New York City that had to know everything about his life, where he was going, what he was thinking infuriated him. Troy was never one to like talking about his plans; he didn't feel like sharing what was on his mind with them. He was a man of his own and he wanted to preserve the mystery he always adored in his life.

"So much for being famous" he muttered to himself, shaking his head annoyed. Damn what happened to his life? When it all became this chaos? "Shit"

Distantly the sound of life could be heard in the wind blowing through the trees, the faint incessant talking coming from the houses' living room, as his neighbors shared dinner. He looked back at Ollie's former house that was not his father's, the lights illuminating the dinner room where they were probably talking and eating the delicious food his mother made. Troy wanted to be there, but his heart was breaking as he watched his family. Yes, he wanted things different from what he was living right now. He wanted his own family as well. He wanted to have dinner with Gabriella and Emerson every day and tell them how his day went. Troy wanted to sit on an arm chair and watch the two girls of his life interact, he just wanted to feel loved too.

And then Kia called and he excused himself from the table before he could get sick, using the opportunity of his PR calling to run away from the strange atmosphere he was envying so much now. Troy hated himself so much for never being able to express his feelings. He felt like crying, but there weren't one single tear rolling down his cheeks. All he could release was a suppressed groan as his face twisted with disgust.

"Damn" he massaged his forehead with the back of his hands, smacking his head slowly a couple of times, punishing himself for being so stupid with Gabriella three years ago. Yes, he knew he had fucked everything up, but yet he couldn't help but think she was overreacting. It was only a kiss. He never dated Sharpay after the incident, he never slept with her. He never said anything to Gabriella again; on the contrary, he ignored her existence. Why was she so mad at him than? Why was a kiss such of a big deal? Why it had to fuck his life so badly?

Troy closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. He stretched his neck and shoulders gently, rolling his shoulders back in an attempt to release the tension that was stationed there. Sighing deeply, he exhaled slowly and ran one hand through his untidy hair. He reopened his eyes and stared at the slightly wet and dark street. Damn, he felt lonely like never before and he hated the feeling.

"What's up Bolton?" he tilted his head to the side as he heard the familiar voice and looked back, moving his gaze up all the way so he could see the very tall person smirking at him. The sight of his best friend pleased Troy immensely and he immediately smiled a half-smile, "Nada"

"Bullshit" Jason laughed lightly, sitting down on the kerb beside Troy, "If you didn't go out tonight that's cuz something's bugging you"

He raised his eyebrows, studying the black haired man beside him as if it was the first time they saw each other in a long period. Jason still conserved the boyish grin from high school years, the same 'I don't give a shit' expression present on him from the first summer they became friends and ran from the police, invaded parties and drank the whole night. However Jason had changed, a bit at least.

After Troy had suffered so badly because of Gabriella he became a true friend. He was always there, trying to motivate him to keep going on with his life, to advice, just to listen. It was a good thing knowing he had someone he could talk and trust. Apart from Gabriella, he had been the only person Troy could really be himself around.

"Meh," he shook his head, slapping Jason playfully on the chest, "you know me too well Cross"

"What's going on, man?" Jason asked quietly, tilting his head to the side to study Troy's perturbed expression, "Is it work?" his eyes fell on his cell phone on the ground, "Kia?"

"Naw man" Troy ran a hand across his neck, rubbing the side of his temple with his knuckles, "I saw Gabriella"

"Oh…" Jason frowned and surprisingly laughed after a minute that both of them drowned in complete silence, "I should have imagined. Kia wouldn't have this effect on you. You'd just tell her to fuck off"

The silence lingered in their ears again. The streets were still slightly wet, the air heavy with humidity. A faint yellow glow flowed from the lamps along the way, partially revealing what lay down the road and where the real night began. The choked sound of Troy's breathing was loud and painful to hear, but Jason waited patiently till he talked again. He had learned not to push Troy.

"I saw her daughter" he said quietly, cradling his head in between the palms of his hands, his fingertips tapping his forehead rhythmically. "She's the spitting image of me"

"Oh…" he nodded slowly, trying to process the information Troy had just shared with him. "Do you think she's yours?"

Troy nodded, locking eyes with him, "I hope so"

"Really dude?" Jason grimaced, "You really want to have a baby right now? You're only 21. You have everything in life to be fucking happy without a whining baby"

"She's precious" he protested, shaking his head, "I only saw her twice and I'm already in love with her. Is it so bad I want her to be mine too?"

"Yeah…" Jason nodded his head sincerely.

"Man, seriously"

"I'm being serious, Troy. You are my friend and I support you on everything, but man a kid? You have no idea how to take care of a baby, you stay out all night, you play ball when you wake up, you travel the whole time and you have that boring pussy to fuck every day"

"Dude, I already told you I don't fuck Kia, she's just my PR—"

"Whatever," he interrupted him, "She wants you and she is a pain anyway"

"The thing is" he breathed deeply through his mouth, finally saying in front of his friend what his heart proclaimed so proudly, "Emerson is my kid and I'm sure of it. I'm asking for a DNA test and if Gabriella says no, I'll go to court and request formally"

"Don't you think about the stress you'll put Gabriella and her daughter through?"

"If you saw Emmy you'd see she's mine, you can't fucking deny that" Troy snapped impatiently, already tired of his friend trying to convince him to forget about his baby, "I know I can't have Gabriella back if she doesn't want, but at least I can have our daughter in my life, it will be like having a piece of El with me everyday"

"What if she's not your daughter?"

"She is—"

"What if Gabriella always told you the truth?"

Troy frowned deeply. He never considered Gabriella telling the truth, he didn't want to believe she actually cheated on him and had a baby with someone else. He was positive of her feelings for him when they dated. But wait, he was positive of his feelings for her when he cheated on her too. His heart constricted with the possibility of Gabriella telling the truth and he bit his lower lip. Could she be telling the truth?

"If she's not…" he wet his bottom lip, shrugging his shoulders trying not to be so affected with the fact, "then I'll say sorry and walk away…"

"Oh yeah, right… Exactly" Jason laughed sarcastically, "Let me advise you, Troy. I'm no fucking responsible and you know that, but apparently I can use my head more often than you can use yours. You have that fucking bullshit of thinking with your heart, totally gay by the way" he rolled his eyes and continued, "But I really think that if you become part of the girl's life and then you discover she's not yours and fucking disappear, she'll miss you… she'll suffer dude"

He knew it, and he didn't want Emerson to get hurt because of him. But he was holding to the possibility of her being his daughter as strongly as he could. It didn't matter what Jason was trying to tell him in, his eyes wouldn't play tricks on him. He saw how she looked, that beautiful hazel eyes, his smile. He felt the warmth when he held her. She was his. He knew it. He also knew he should back off while he couldn't prove Emerson was biologically his, but he was not strong enough for that.

"I know" Troy agreed sheepishly, "I should back off, but I can't stay away from her"

"From her or her mother? Are you sure you're not doing this because you want Gabriella again? Aren't you trying to tell a lie to yourself that you can work things out with Gabriella if she didn't cheat on you? Man, even if she didn't, it doesn't mean she'll forgive you and you two are having a fucking happy ending. Woman lose trust easily, you know that boring blah, blah, blah. A lot happened between you two. You both said things that can't be forgotten. It's not that easy, Troy"

"Man…" Troy shook his head, decided not to listen to his best friend this time. He was following his heart, enough of people pushing him in and out of things. "I'm serious this time. I want the baby too, it's not everything about El in my world. She's not Ryan's. I'm sure of that"

"So, you're really doing it? You're really becoming a father?" Jason grimaced as he spoke the word father and Troy rolled his eyes, "Are you really playing mommy and daddy thing? You're ready to be responsible?"

"Yeah" he nodded fervently, "I'm really doing it"

Jason sighed, "Alright, so you have a lot of work to do"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST**** 23, 2008.**

"We are just going to trim it up a bit, sweetheart" Taylor sat Emerson down in a shiny chair that had the format of a red car and smiled warmly. She hummed excitedly as she flipped the hairdressers' gown around her tiny body, slowly settling it around her and the chair underneath hair. Fastening the velcro, she nuzzled her nose against the toddler's side of hair playfully, "You are going to look so beautiful after I finish with you"

Taking a comb and colorful scissors, she carefully trimmed the back of Emerson's hair, gently fingering a strand of it and cutting it till got to the length of the toddler's neck, to match up the other side of hair that she had cut by herself with scissors she found in the _Skin Deep_ tattoo shop.

Gabriella sighed and leaned against the wall in front of her daughter, careful not to scare the baby and make her move. She crossed her arms against her chest and glared at Taylor with the corner of her eyes, "I almost fainted when I found her with the scissors in hand" Gabriella admitted, biting the bottom of her lip, "Thank God I took it off her before she cut herself"

Taylor laughed, "It happens all the time. There are lots of mom's here everyday with kids partially bald" she smirked as Gabriella grimaced, "And I like the fact she trimmed the cat's fur too" she stated casually and looked down to the toddler's lap tenderly.

She found herself following her friend's gaze and locking eyes with Emerson's favorite stuffed cat. She grimaced again as the cat looked in worse state than her daughter, the fur on his face messily trimmed. "At least she didn't screw it all up" Taylor continued, snapping her off her trance.

"Yeah" Gabriella nodded slowly, looking at her daughter, studying as her big hazel eyes widened as she watched her stuffed cat on her lap disappear as hair covered it almost completely, "But I'll miss her curls"

Taylor smiled sympathetically at her friend, knowing that she was suffering more than her two years old daughter seeing her beautiful chestnut hair in a pile on the floor. She reached her hand and touched the bottom of Emerson's now straight hair, the soft curls she had now completely gone due to the fact her hair was only shoulders length now.

"Gabs… I was here thinking…" she started in a whisper, tilting her head to the side, "you know about what…" she looked from Emerson to Gabriella, "I'm sure he's bluffing"

"You really think so?" Gabriella frowned deeply, shaking her head, "I'm not sure Tay. He seemed pretty serious about it"

"I'm positive. I think he's only trying to make you admit Emmy is his" she assured her, combing Emerson's bangs, "What about her bangs?"

"She's shy, she likes it long so she can hide her eyes" Gabriella informed softly, smiling as her daughter played with a comb on her cat's head just like Taylor was doing with her, "Just trim a bit"

She nodded and trimmed her bangs slightly in a way that still had Emerson comfortable. Clicking her tongue when she finished she tickled the baby's stomach, "Don't you look pretty?" she asked, swinging the chair around so she could see herself in the mirror, "You look like a celebrity toddler"

"She has such beautiful eyes, Gabs" Taylor stated, using a clip to pin her floppy hair out of her eyes, "It's a crime to hid it"

Shrugging her shoulders, she collected the baby from the chair and kissed her forehead, "She likes it, what can I do?" Emerson touched her cheek tenderly and then her hair, Gabriella couldn't help but smile, "You look beautiful Em"

The toddler smiled a toothy smile, showing her stuffed cat, wanting compliments for him as well. "Yeah, kitty looks fine too, baby. How much do I owe you for saving my daughter's hair?"

"Shh" Taylor waved her off. "Shut up Gabriella" she shook her head offended, giving Emerson a lolly-pop as a prize for being such a great little girl while cutting her hair, "Like I need you paying me to cut the princess hair"

"Tay—"

"I'll be more than happy to trim her hair whenever you need it" she smiled warmly, "For free"

"Thank you" Gabriella hugged her former high school friend, letting Taylor peck Emerson on the cheek, "Say bye to auntie Tay, Emmy"

The toddler waved quickly and hid her face into the crook of her mother's neck, blushing slightly, "I told you she's shy"

Taylor laughed, "Call me after you talk to Troy, alright?"

"Yeah" she nodded, "Wish me luck"

"You don't need luck. He's just playing you around, be strong and kick him off your store"

* * *

As soon as Troy walked inside the tattoo shop that afternoon, he couldn't help but grin at the sight of Gabriella leaned against a chubby guy, tattooing something to his chest. A woman watched them intently, talking with Gabriella contently as she inked someone from her family. He observed as the woman he was madly in love with grinned, nodding her head up and down as she flickered her bangs from her eyes, frowning when she locked eyes with his piece of skin.

He lost track of time as he saw the chubby talk and tilt his head to the side to study his tattoo, smirking and showing a thumb up for her. God, she looked so beautiful working, so mature and so professional. He loved the new Gabriella she transformed into. He adored the fact she was now so confident and independent; it was what he always expected her to be.

It was only after Gabriella had stood up and pulled her shiny dark hair up in a messy bun that he succeeded in moving his gaze from her hypnotic figure. Troy's heart accelerated though as he spotted the other girl he thought about the whole night sitting on the arm chair, playing lazily with the stuffed cat he had seen her with before. Emerson was murmuring something very quietly to the cat, as if they were really having a conversation. He couldn't help but want to grab her in his arms again and see that adorable dimple she had on her face every time she smiled. She was so adorable.

"Hey kitty cat" he whispered, bending down beside the arm chair. Emmy looked up at him and as she recognized the man in front of her, she smiled. Troy held his breath as she smiled her famous toothy smile, clapping her tiny hands together. Was she happy he was there? Man, that felt amazing… to have someone happy to see you. He wished Gabriella was happy to see him again as well someday. He'd give anything for her to be happy at him again.

"Wow, what happened with your hair kitty?" he touched her shoulder gently, laughing when she shrugged her small shoulders, "Gone"

"She cut it by herself yesterday" Gabriella's soft voice made him look up and he smirked automatically as she crossed her arms against her chest, raising a single eyebrow. Man, what an incredibly sexy woman. "I had to take her to Taylor and she unfortunately had to trim it to match the other side of her creation"

Troy laughed lightly and he could swear he saw Gabriella smiling a bit, "Well, I think it looks great Emmy. The tattoo, the hair, you never cease to surprise me, kitty"

Gabriella picked the little girl from the arm chair, attaching her to her crooked hip. Troy stood up too and raised his hand, showing a big pink bag, "I bought her a present"

Emerson's eyes blinked and she grinned, "She doesn't need presents, Troy. She has everything she needs"

"Gabriella—"

She shook her head, but Emmy pressed her tiny soft hand to her mother's cheek, pleading, "Momma!"

"No Emmy. You don't even know him"

"Kitty cat" she whispered as she looked at Troy, proving that she in fact knew him. Emerson raised her little arms, as though she wanted him to pick her up. Troy smiled warmly at her, stepping closer to the toddler, freezing at the same place when Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him. "It's just a present, El. I'm not doing anything wrong"

"Troy, I give her enough presents" she tried to be reasonable, but the proximity to him was making her stomach flutter with butterflies. Gabriella knew she needed to focus on keeping her daughter away from her father, but her strength was easily vanishing from her body. And the way he had treated her when he saw her playing with the cat... _Stop it, Gabriella, focus. _"You don't have to do anything"

"I want to" he insisted and locked his blue eyes with her brown ones, sending a shiver through both of their bodies. Emerson shifted in Gabriella's arms and for a second she wondered if her daughter could feel the shockwaves that, because of Troy, assaulted her body.

"Kelsi is waiting for you" she sighed, "You have an appointment"

"I'll be fast"

Emerson whined a bit louder, her little hands balling into fists as she looked pleading at her mother. God only knew how Gabriella hated to deprive her daughter from something. Her baby seemed so comfortable around Troy, she wasn't even hiding behind her and that was something huge. Emerson was not a baby to like everybody and she already seemed to like Troy. Wow.

"Momma" she whispered again, her tiny arms locking around Gabriella's neck as she touched her mouth to her jaw, bargaining her with kisses she peppered sweetly to her mother's cheek and jaw. She couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's behavior, she was really her father's baby. Troy was the only person that could win her over with kisses when they were together – now Emerson too.

The two would still be the death of her.

Troy had a silly grin on his face as he observed the two of them interact and the fact Emmy was one of her mother's weaknesses. Damn, the baby was extremely cute and intelligent for a two year old. She really was Gabriella's daughter and he couldn't be more proud of her.

"Fine" she put the toddler on the floor and she quickly ran closer to Troy, reaching for his hand when he offered. Gabriella felt her heart skipping a beat as he bent down in front of his daughter and smiled warmly at her. God, was it love in his eyes as he looked at Emerson?

"I think you're going to love it, Emmy" he whispered to her, grinning when her hazel eyes blinked with anxiety and happiness. Troy looked up at Gabriella for a second and she was biting her lip, scanning them intently. Their eyes locked and he felt goosebumps. _Focus on your daughter right now Troy, _he told himself, reluctantly moving his gaze from his beautiful ex-girlfriend to the amazing baby in front of him. He breathed through his mouth rapidly, retrieving the package from inside the pink bag. The toddler squealed contently as she saw her present and Gabriella rolled her eyes, crouching down behind her daughter to control the overexcited baby, "You know she loves cats, Troy" she said calmly, fighting the smile that wanted to form on her lips as he smiled proudly at her, "That's not fair"

He worked on releasing the white medium sized robot cat from the box with a boyish grin on his face, more in love with Emerson's expression than anything else in the world. Gabriella ran one hand through her dark hair as she heard herself laughing quietly at her daughter's excitement. She licked her lower lip and Troy winked at her before he patted the floor for Emerson to sit. The toddler obeyed immediately, sitting cross-legged, waiting impatiently for him to give her the new cat.

"I didn't know if your mummy would let you have a normal cat, so I bought this one" he turned the cat on and it began moving like it was real, opening and closing its eyes and mouth at the same time it swished its tail. Emerson looked up at Troy and then at Gabriella and smiled when her mother nodded up and down, encouraging her to touch the toy.

"Momma!" she squealed again as the cat meowed and Troy and Gabriella shared a look of complete pleasure seeing her. She was definitely their best creation. Such a perfect tiny person that came to life from a quick but very strong love. Emerson was surely sent from above straight to their arms.

"Your new cat is beautiful, baby" Gabriella said softly as she bent down behind her daughter, brushing her hand on her daughter's arm, "What are you going to call it?"

"Mo" Emerson said happily and Troy laughed, "Mo is a good name"

"Em, say thank you to Troy" Gabriella suggested, pointing to the man kneeled beside her. The toddler looked up and smiled to her 'kitty cat' with adoration, "thank you Twoy" she repeated shyly. He smirked, knowing he'd be pushing his luck if he asked for a hug, but craving to try it anyway, "Do you think I can have a hug, Emmy?"

The time stopped as Gabriella observed Emerson nod her little head up and down, a few strands of her hair escaping from the hair clip as she moved decided to Troy and wrapped her arms clumsy around his muscular neck. Her heart thumped in her chest and her throat was suddenly dry. It was funny how her heart seemed to be forgetting so fast the pain she went through once she saw Troy hold her daughter in his arms… his daughter as well. Their precious little baby.

She didn't know why, but an overwhelming joy and consternation filled her heart. For the first time in two years she imagined this scene, she was not feeling insecure Troy was near them. On the contrary, she felt so proud, elated. She wanted this to her daughter's life, she wanted him to protect and love her, just like she did every day.

Gabriella didn't know if she was going to break out laughing at the excitement of watching them two, of if she was going to cry or both of the emotions. Damn, how she ended up so thrilled like this? Where did all these sensations come from? She heard him saying that Emerson was the most beautiful thing in the world and her heart accelerated as realization hit her.

Her baby deserved him.

Emerson should have the opportunity to have a relationship with her father.

She was partly disappointed with herself, because she wasn't supposed to feel this love flooding in, not because she didn't want Emerson to know her father, but most because she was still hurting, she still couldn't trust Troy or know if he changed for the better. At the same time, she was elated as she could literally feel warmth embracing her figure pleasurably, as though that was supposed to be really happening. As if it was their fate to be together.

The overwhelming sense of love was so strong she felt like she was losing her breath. All the love and protectiveness towards them was intoxicating, and she couldn't help but want them together forever. It was nothing like she ever experienced before and it was so intense, as if it could suffocate her body in a good way. Gabriella knew she would never forget this feeling. The constant butterflies she felt every time Troy was around were present this time as well, but stronger and it ran madly inside of her tummy. Gabriella Montez was completely and utterly in love with them.

_Please remember this moment forever_, she thought to herself as she literally felt like her body could explode with adoration. She was not only overwhelmed, but overjoyed, over the moon and there was only one word that could describe how she felt right now: complete.

Gabriella felt completeness fill her body and soul, gluing all the broken pieces of her heart together, and she knew that moment that Troy had the right to know that Emerson was his daughter. That he deserved to know it even if she still couldn't trust him. She was not the one to decide if he was going to be a good or bad parent to their daughter, but she was going to give him a second chance. She would tell him what he wanted so much to hear, because they simply belong together. A match made the moment he got her pregnant, the moment they unintentionally became a family.

As she finally snapped out of her trance what felt like decades after, Troy was locking eyes with her, his expression confused as if he expected her to retrieve the little girl from his arms, something that never happened. She had let him touch her daughter without complaining. He couldn't help but feel gratitude towards her. With a swift movement, he wrapped his arms tightly around the toddler and smiled a half-smile, mouthing a clear 'thank you' to Gabriella.

Gabriella was only able to nod once, before the cat lay down and hissed, catching Emerson's attention again. The toddler moved away from Troy's embrace and, cupping her knees with her small hands, touched Mo's head, making it move again. She giggled and rubbed her hand on his neck and it purred lightly and the two adults that still locked eyes intently finally stood up, swallowing their unsaid words.

Because Troy wanted nothing more than to declare himself for her, to have them as family.

And Gabriella still had a secret she needed to tell. Something that would change her life and her daughter's forever.

"NEXT!"

"Uhm… Troy" she recomposed herself, breathing through her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut, "Are you still getting the tattoo? Kelsi is waiting…"

"I changed my mind" his husky voice made her shiver and as he moved considerably closer to her, her knees weakened. Troy touched her arm and their bodies heated immediately. She opened her mouth to say something, but he shook his head slowly, resting his forehead against hers, "I want you to tattoo me"

Her eyes widened slightly as he backed off to look her in the eyes, wanting nothing more than to see in her expression she wouldn't deny him this favor. "I thought you didn't trust me with a needle"

"I lied" his large hand cupped her hip and he leaned closer to her ear, like he always did when they were in fact together. "I'd trust you my life Ellie" he admitted in a whisper, "Cuz I know that deep inside, you wouldn't do anything to the father of your daughter"

"Troy…" she cried out helplessly, feeling the force of his proximity hit her body furiously. She closed her eyes and he stroked the side of her face lovingly, "Would you do anything to me?"

She bit her bottom lip, her cheeks flushing a faint tone of pink as she felt his hot breath against her ear sooth her agitated and needy body, "Would you stick a needle in my vein like you said you would?"

Gabriella sighed, the truth escaping her lips before she could even realize what she just said. "No..."

He smiled as his heart fluttered inside his chest, "Then I want you inking me"

"**I could have saved so much time for us,****  
Had I seen the way to get to where I am today,  
You waited on me for so long,  
So now listen to me say,  
I'd rather be with you,  
Say you want the same thing too,  
Say you feel the way I do.**"

* * *

_A/N: Tell me what you thought of their interaction! I love short reviews, but I love long ones too! Ah, I wanna know if someone can guess what Troy's tattooing, haha! I bet you can't... but if someone guess it, you'll get a preview to next chapter :p  
_


	10. Inked, Chapter 10

_A/N: I know it's been a while, but I had complications that I needed to solve before writing again. I was pretty busy with work and my laptop was screwed up for an unknown reason… to resume it all, I lost everything I had on it, haha. For a while I just sat there and waited for a miracle to happen and everything I had just show up again magically, but it never happened. So yea, I lost stuff from school and my stories and work related papers… anyway, if that wasn't enough to drive me crazy, I moved to another house and my life was still messy till two days ago. At least my house is bigger now and the swimming pool too, what is great cuz its hot these days!  
_

_Hmm I had this chapter complete, but now I had to write it all again so I don't think it will be the same from what I wrote previously… and If I don't use the same words or whatever from the preview I sent you, that's the reason why: my memory sucks. Good news though, I'm on vacations, so I'll try and hurry up the next chapters for you all since I have nothing else to concentrate on right now. _

_Take care!_

_- M_

_Disclaimer__: I don't own HSM or Keri Hilson lyrics. _

"**If you ever kept a secret from the one you love,  
This is what it feels like.  
If you thought that I was perfect,  
****You were wrong, I'm far from that.  
****There's one thing that I've done to you,  
That I regret.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 23, 2008.**

_I want you inking me. _

The seconds seemed to pass like decades as Gabriella stared deeply in Troy's blue orbs, the palpitations of her heart echoing in the room so painfully loudly, embarrassing herself immensely and sending a tone of faint pink to her cheeks, ears and side of neck. Emerson seemed to realize the tension between the two adults that stood in the same place for more than five minutes already, just staring at the other with an awkward expression, as if they moved the gaze away the world would end.

Gabriella Montez knew the father of her daughter never ceased to amaze her. Troy Bolton had the power to play with her emotions and send her knocked to her knees every time he was around. She couldn't help but feel like an innocent seventeen year old girl that was afraid to lose him again to her neighbor, and not the confident and mature twenty year old woman she was now.

She was afraid that only by touching him all the love she tried to avoid these years would rush back to her body involuntary, mixed with one of the shockwaves he constantly provoked on her body. However, the craving for touching him again, to have him close to her body at least one more time was intoxicating her soul. She wanted to let her hand stroke his beautiful features, her fingertips to tangle on his soft floppy hair… Gabriella wanted to drown in his perfection for one more time.

The hunger to have him was powerful, but the idea of losing him after admitting that Emerson was his daughter and that she lied to him was devastating and heart breaking, because even though she knew he was not hers, she couldn't bear to lose him forever. What if Troy didn't want to forgive her for her mistake? What if he decided to punish her and go away just like she did with him three years ago? She wanted him in Emmy's life. Truthfully, she knew that she wanted him in her life as well, she wished to see his gorgeous face every day and hear his husky voice forever. Gabriella craved for eternal connection and even if that meant Troy would only be in her life because of Emerson, she was fine with that, as long as she could still feel so good and protected around him.

The possibility of Troy never trusting her again was surrounding her body like a cold winter breeze and messing with her senses. What if that was it for the two of them, for their family and for her baby? What if he got mad and decided he didn't want their daughter in his life after everything she kept away from him?

Their hypnotic gaze was interrupted by the soft hand of their daughter as she stepped in the middle of them, smiling her famous toothy smile and looking up at them with her huge hazel eyes adoringly. "Mo sleep, Twoy" she raised her tiny hand and wrapped around Troy's large thumb, "Help Mo…"

Gabriella surprised herself once again for not being jealous of her daughter asking for Troy's help instead of hers like she always did. On the contrary, the fact that the two of them were getting along well made her heart swell with pride and love, and erased all the insecurities of Troy going away after knowing the truth. The way he treated the baby was enough to certify her he would always be back, he'd never leave her.

She found herself again watching as the two interacted; the way Troy tickled their baby's stomach and the way she didn't let go of his hand not even for a second, as if her life depended on it. She sighed involuntary as she rubbed one hand on her face, knowing that she'd have to talk to Troy tonight, she couldn't risk keeping the secret from him any longer or else she'd end up exploding… literally.

"Gabs?" she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around swiftly, her eyes watering immediately as she saw Kelsi looking at her with confused eyes, "Hmm… why Troy's with Azzy? I thought you wanted—"

She shook her head furiously, interrupting her friend before she could finalize what she wanted to say, "I changed my mind" she whispered her answer, "He deserves to know, Kel… Emerson deserves him in her life…"

Kelsi frowned deeply, her hand leaving Gabriella's arm, "You're sure? Will you be okay if you tell him the truth?"

Gabriella nodded, "I hope I will" she admitted, "Troy wants me to tattoo him, Kelsi" she breathed through her mouth, "Can you feed Emerson for me?"

"Sure" she clapped her rhythmically, walking towards Troy and Emerson in the corner of the room, leaving her still very affected friend behind. Troy stood up from the floor with Emerson and Mo securely in his arms and clutched the baby against his muscular chest, his heart beating fast, already anticipating his daughter would be taken away from him again. "Relax Troy, she just needs to eat"

"Oh…" he nodded his head mechanically, but his grip on Emmy was still tight.

"Azzy, you're hungry?" Kelsi asked and the toddler looked back at her, nodding fervently up and down as she rubbed her stomach slowly before gazing with the corner of her eyes at the cat in Troy's arm, "Mo hungry too and Momma…" she tilted her head to the side to look at Gabriella and her chestnut hair fell in her eyes adorably, "Momma eat with me"

She walked towards the rest of the group, a small smile playing on her lips as she looked at her daughter, "I'm gonna eat later tonight, okay baby?" Emerson threw herself in Gabriella's arms and hid her face into the crook of her neck, "I still have to work"

"But momma…"

"Ellie, if you want you can eat with her…" Troy said calmly, his gaze intently on his two favorite girls, a smile forming on his lips automatically as he watched Emmy whining sweetly at her mom, but Gabriella shook her head promptly, "We have to talk…" she closed her eyes for a second and reopened, trying to smile back at him, "do you want to kiss her goodbye?"

He didn't even think about what she asked before he was already nodding his head and embracing not only Emerson, but Gabriella as well. She flinched immediately as his strong arms wrapped around her body and his masculine cologne filled her nostrils pleasurably. Closing her eyes, she avoided the urge to moan at the proximity of the father of her daughter and the only man she ever really loved and for a minute she just stood there, letting him hold them and surround their bodies with the heat, sending her problems and fears far, far away.

"Goodnight kitty cat…" Troy whispered against Emmy's head, but his eyes were locked on Gabriella's peaceful expression in his arms. Smiling, he didn't let the opportunity of touching her longer escape and clasped their hands together as Kelsi cleared her throat, visibly uncomfortable with their public display of affection. He ignored Gabriella's shocked expression with a hint of amusement, her mouth dropping open and eyes slightly widened as his thumb caressed the back of her hand was priceless. However, he scoffed loudly when Kelsi retrieved the toddler from the middle of them and stormed to the back of the store, going upstairs rapidly.

"You two are living upstairs?" he asked with clear indignation and Gabriella snorted, letting go of his hand and turning around to walk to the back of the shop and where the tattoo's beds were. What was the problem of living on the second floor of the house? The apartment was good enough for the two of them, the rooms were spacious and the kitchen excellent. The living room and bathrooms were good enough for just the two of them and Gabriella was happy to call it home. "You should move to a bigger house, where Emmy could have a back yard to play"

"Not now, Troy… maybe in a couple of months" she said impatiently, running one hand through her shiny hair, "We just got here a week ago. It can wait"

Her hand traced the bed Troy would be lying in a couple of minutes and she turned around, leaning against the edge of it as she took off her rings and then crossed her arms across her chest for Troy's delight, "Do you have something you'd like to tattoo?"

He stepped closer to her, his tongue touching his bottom lip in an almost sensual caress that made Gabriella wish she was his tongue for even a second to trace his gorgeous thin lip, and flicked his floppy hair out of his eyes. She clenched her jaw promptly as she felt the God like aura that always surrounded Troy weaken her knees. Wanting to converse and try to regain her senses, she raised a hand to massage her forehead, attempting to ease the tension he proportioned to her, "Your hair is longer…"

Troy laughed lightly, one hand running through his soft hair as he nodded his head, ecstatic she was paying attention to him, "I know, I'm lazy…" he shoved his left hand inside his pocket to hide the fact he was trembling with anxiety and the right one he collected a folded paper, "I think I need a woman to take care of me"

_You, maybe,_ he thought to himself. Her ears perked up at his last words and her heart tightened at the idea of another woman that wasn't her at his side, being with him every day, taking care of him and enjoying his company.

_Cut it out, Gabriella_, she warned herself, _He's allowed to have girlfriends. _

She breathed deeply through her mouth and pointed to his right hand, "What's that?"

"Oh yeah" he offered his hand and opened his palm to her to get the piece of folded paper, "My tattoo"

_Course it's his tattoo, _she sang song to herself, unfolding the paper slowly and taking a good look at what he wanted inked to his skin, "you did this yourself?" he nodded and she found herself amazed with his ability to draw, "That's really good, but I'm afraid I can't tattoo you. I only do things that have meanings… this here" she licked her bottom lip, frowning, "It makes no sense"

He looked at her, a fake shocked expression on his face, an amused smile curling up on his thin lips, "If I prove it does make sense, you'll ink me?"

Gabriella bit her lip, her eyes rolling involuntary, "Explain to me"

Troy smirked as his hands gripped the sides of her body and she flinched for the second time in less than an hour, "Troy… what are you—"

"Shush, Ellie…" his husky voice was as low as a whisper and he could feel the hair in her arms raise, "Do you remember when we were together, baby?" he didn't wait for her to reply before he continued, "I felt like I was in flames every time you were around. Only your presence was enough to warm my body," his right hand began travelling up and down the side of her body, caressing so gently her skin she felt the need to ask him for more, "and when I held our baby in my arms for the first time" she looked up at him at the sound of _our_ baby coming from his lips, "I felt that heat so powerful that my cold body craved for it again…" he leaned closer to her, his eyes closing for only a second before he stared into her brown orbs again. "I still feel it when I touch you. I'm feeling it right now. I want your warmth and Emerson's in my body… I want it back because I don't like being cold" he cupped her cheek with his large hand and ignored the hunger to possess her as their bodies brushed against the other.

Then he felt the same way she felt? She wasn't the only person that felt constantly cold and had the urge to hold Emerson every second of her day just to heat up her body?

"Meh… you don't know what I'm talking about" he shook his head and stepped back, rubbing a hand across his face, "It just makes sense to me"

_It makes more sense to me than you think, _she wanted to clarify that he was not alone in the coldness department, but she didn't find the strength to voice her words. Instead of it, she went with the logical, "Okay, I'll do it"

"Sweet" he clapped his hands together before pulling his black shirt over his head in a swift movement, and Gabriella felt the force of the world hit her again. Why couldn't he be like her last client? Chubby and disgusting? Why did Troy have to look so good? His abs were better than ever, his arms were so beautiful and his hairless chest screamed for a few love bites. "I want it here" he patted the side of his stomach and she nodded reluctantly, "Okay, lie down and I'll be right back"

He nodded his head up and down as he lay on the bed, his heart beating so fast and so loud that this time he was the one worried about Gabriella hearing her effect on him. He stared at the ceiling impatiently, humming quietly to himself as she got his draw ready to be inked.

"You're scared?" Gabriella's voice was soft and distant and echoed slightly along with her footsteps as she walked around the shop in search for the material she'd need to ink him.

"No" he said quickly. Truthfully, Troy was extremely excited because tattooing something that would honor Gabriella and Emerson felt right. "I'm calm"

"Hmmm" she raised a single eyebrow as she stopped in front of him and pulled her hair up in a ponytail. Putting latex gloves on, she stepped closer to Troy and rested her two palms of hands on his stomach. Troy couldn't help but moan when she forced him on his side to clean the spot he had chosen to get a tattoo, incredibly amazed at the sensations her touch evoked on him. She squeezed her bottom lip in between her teeth and applied the flash with the outline of the image onto his skin, "I have to admit it's the first time I'm tattooing someone flames"

Troy chuckled, "I'm glad I'm your first"

She rolled her eyes, but a small smile formed on her puffy lips as she thought about Troy being her first love and man, too. "Here?" he raised his head and checked out the spot with a thumb up, "No colors?"

"Nope… make it dark and it's good enough for me"

"Okay" she clicked her tongue, "I'm using a machine to lay the ink deep into your skin, so it might hurt a bit, but try not to move" her fingertips lingered on the side of his body and she sighed deeply in an attempt to stop the shaking from her hand. She turned on the machine and the needle made the first of many tiny wounds, a red trail of blood coloring her gloves and his skin.

Troy squeezed his eyes shut and frowned. For a minute she wanted to forget she was the artist and she was supposed to act professional, and hold him in her arms, just to send that painful expression away, "You're alright?"

He bit his bottom lip and nodded his head slowly. It was obvious even to himself that he was shaking, that he was nervous and that he definitely seemed to be in pain. He had to admit that the outlining of the flames hurt a little, but it was not excruciating. It was something deeper that made him uneasy.

"You're tense, Troy"

_Of course I'm tense, _he yelled to himself, knowing it was the most natural thing in the world. She was fucking touching him after three years. They were in the same place without fighting, they no longer ignored each other, her hands were so delicate working on his skin, her ponytail tickled his chest every now and then ever so gently and sent fireworks down his spine.

So yes, he was allowed to feel nervous and break out in cold sweat if he wanted.

Because he was fucking happy to be in this position right now. Because she was fucking sexy when she worked. Because the woman he fucking loved, was inking on his skin something that for him meant more than any name he could tattoo on his body. And lastly, because, even though he always imagined being so close to Gabriella again, he never really thought this could happen.

And it was happening.

And it was giving his life new meaning.

And it was filling his heart with hope.

"I'm more than fine" he certified her, opening his eyes again and trying unsuccessfully not to flinch when her fingers tugged on the waist line of his dark jeans to pull it down slightly. His legs started to tremble and his arms stiffed beside his body. _Fuck, that's so embarrassing. _

"Troy—" she complained under her breath, her hand resting on his arm firmly to steady him as she pressed the needle to his skin one more time, "Do… not… move"

"Sorry" he mumbled embarrassed, thankful she was looking at his stomach and couldn't see the blush on his cheeks. _If you talk to her, you won't think about fucking her, _his mind warned and he nodded his head to himself, wetting his lip as he opened his mouth. What to talk about?

"I heard you moved to Santa Fe after graduating." Actually, he had made Jason discover it all for him, and after a lot of time pressuring the right people, he achieved his goal. "Why?"

"My mom…" she started slowly, cleaning the blood from his skin and continuing to trace his flames, "She opened another shop in Santa Fe"

"Oh, I thought you didn't want to see me"

"That too" she admitted promptly. "I was hurt... Staying here just hurt me more" she sighed and her hand tensed a bit as she talked. For Troy it was like a little sharp knife was teasing his skin, but he deserved it for doing what he did to her. "Not anymore though, I'm over the pain, I think"

"I'm sorry Ellie. I was young and immature and–"

"You were" she agreed, nodding her head, "But we all make mistakes, right?"

"I guess" he shrugged, _but mine made me lose you_. He watched as she turned off the machine and prepared a dark grey ink, turning it on again rapidly and switching to the filling-in of the flames. This time it didn't hurt at all. Troy had no idea if it was because his body was already used to the needle by now or if the adrenaline of having this conversation with Gabriella made it painless. He observed fascinated as the flames darkened in his skin and she worked quietly on her masterpiece. "El?"

"Yes, Troy?"

"You still have it?"

She looked up at him, "have what?"

"My name on your body…"

Gabriella sighed and went back to filling the flames, "yeah"

"Why? I mean, why after I cheated on you?"

"Because…" she swallowed, getting lost in the filling-in for a few minutes, thinking of how to put everything she felt in words to explain why she didn't get rid of the tattoo. The thing was, she thought about it once or twice, but she never had the strength to actually erase it from her skin. It was painful to have him on her, but even more to watch him disappear. "It's part of who I am"

Was that a good or a bad thing? Troy wasn't sure about it and he was really afraid to ask, so he decided to just wait in silence for her to finish the tattoo, something she promptly did. As soon as he realized, she was turning off the annoying and noisy machine and cleaning his tattoo. Gabriella took off her gloves and threw it inside the garbage can near the ink bed with a swift movement. Rubbing one hand against the other, she approved the image with a nod of her head, "Troy?"

"Yes?" she motioned with her hand that he could sit down and he did it, taking a look at the tattoo, smiling automatically at the perfection that was inked to his skin, "Excellent"

"I'm glad you liked it"

Gabriella covered the side of his stomach with ointment and a white bandage and instructed him clean the tattoo off and keep it moistened a couple of times a day with lotion. "It might itch a bit… just so you know"

He nodded, still amazed by the confident feeling the tattoo gave him, "Thank you"

"Troy?"

"Hmm?"

"You were right" Gabriella's voice shook a bit as she spoke and she rubbed one hand across her forehead as she tensed up. He finally looked from the tattoo to her and raised his eyebrows, "About?"

"Emerson…" she whispered her beloved daughter's name, "she's your daughter"

The confirmation was there and was everything Troy expected to be. Gabriella never cheated on him and the baby was his. He wasn't mad, because deep inside he was sure his kitty cat was his, having the words fly from her lips was simply to make her accept out loud the fact that they were a family and he was the father of her daughter and he'd always be there for the two of them. He just needed to know why. He thought he knew why, but his insides craved to know the real reason she lied to him, the reason she planned to keep his daughter away from him her entire life, "Why did you lie?"

She locked eyes with him, her expression blank and her pained eyes filling with tears, "do you really wanna know why?"

He kept silent and that was enough confirmation for Gabriella. "I was disappointed Troy, more than hurt, I had lost the trust I had in you. For so long I waited to fall in love with a guy the way I fell with you and the first opportunity you had, you gave up on what we had" her voice broke and she swallowed hard, trying to contain her emotion, "It wasn't even for someone important, it was just Sharpay Evans, you know? And I still loved you, even after this. I still wanted to hold you and promise everything would be okay even if I was not okay. So I needed you to be far from me while I healed. I wanted you to suffer without me, to see what you gave up" she immediately burst into tears, sobbing profusely and looking helpless as a child, "I was selfish and immature as well and I'm sorry… I know it wasn't right, but I wanted to protect myself and Emerson. I couldn't take her being hurt if you decided we were not enough for you…"

"Baby…" he whispered her pet name, shaking his head in negation, jumping off the bed and closing the gap between them. "I was the one that didn't deserve you two" he raised his hand and wiped her tears off her face, "I fucked up… I'm sorry"

Gabriella covered her face with her hands and cried louder, and Troy wanted nothing more than kill himself for making her cry. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his body, as though he could save her from her own pain. That exact moment, he couldn't help but think of the words his grandmother always used to say when he was a kid, Amor Vincit Omnia… love conquers all. If their love was strong enough to make them so connected even three years after being apart, after believing in lies and hurting the other, they could work this out. He wanted to try to be with her. They could be together again if they wanted. He could get her trust back. He'd do it even if it was the last thing while alive.

"Everything will be okay now, baby" he whispered hoarsely, "I'll make sure you forgive me"

She rested her forehead against his chest and he kissed the top of her head, "Aren't you mad at me?"

"No" he certified her. "Just do me a favor…"

Gabriella lifted her chin as Troy bent his head to look at her, their eyes locking in an intense gaze. He ran his thumb on her cheek, wiping her tears and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. As he looked down again, his hot breath tickled her mouth and she felt goosebumps. She closed her eyes and felt his lips move delicately against the side of her head as he spoke, "Hurry up and trust me already" he sighed and continued, "because there's nothing more I want in this life than to be with you again"

"**I know it's no excuse but,****  
I'm only human and young at that,****  
So I'm gonna make mistakes,  
And hope you understand.**"

* * *

A/n: Ok, tell me what you thought about the tattoo! :]


	11. Inked, Chapter 11

_A/N: I told you I wouldn't take another month to post a chapter, lol! In fact, I've been updating a lot, haha!_

_Thanks Rosemary for PMing this chapters' choice of song… it worked better than I thought! _

_I have a new story called Wakareru, and you should definitely read it. This Troy will be unforgettable, believe me! :-)_

_So, I'm off and have a great weekend, y'all!  
_

_Disclaimer__: I don't own HSM or Vanessa Hudgens lyrics. _

"**When I think about you and me,  
I get a little week in my knees,  
I feel the flatter of a butterfly,  
And sometimes I can hardly breathe**."

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 24, 2008.**

Troy Bolton looked up at the cloudless blue sky and the sun shone in his eyes, surrounding his body immediately with heat. He raised one hand and took off his aviators' sunglasses, folding it rapidly and putting it inside his black Nike backpack. Letting his eyes wander around, he couldn't help but wish he could stay in Albuquerque forever, with Gabriella, Emerson and the constant warmness he felt when he was in his former hometown. He could actually see things here; it wasn't like NYC that buildings were so enormous that he sometimes believed that the sky didn't exist anymore. The noise of the traffic, sirens, honks, people swearing and impatience everywhere he went was ridiculously annoying. It didn't matter where he was heading to, the madness was there; it followed him like a sin. And that moment in his life, he was seeking calmness. He was ready to settle down if Gabriella wanted. He'd give up the parties, the ladies, the drinking, just to live correctly to and with his two most important girls in the world.

He only wanted one thing in his life, and that was to be happy with Gabriella and Emerson. To hold them, kiss them, talk to them every night...

"Oh shit!" he cussed out loud, tilting his head back against the rented black SUV and covering his face with his hands as the thought of the two girls invaded his mind. Smacking his fist on his forehead, he gazed down at his watch, hoping he still had enough time. "Damn… fuck… shit" he swore again as he realized he only had twenty minutes till his flight departed.

Troy pushed off the car and turned around, collecting his backpack from the front seat and putting it over his shoulder. He slammed the vehicle's door as hard as he could, trying to release all his frustrations at once.

After it… he chuckled.

He laughed hysterically at his own stupidity for a couple of minutes, people passing by him and looking funny, as if he was a mental person. But no, he was just the hugest idiot in the whole world. The night before, when he kissed Gabriella's forehead for the last time and told her to go upstairs to put Emerson in bed, he forgot one simple thing.

To get her number.

He had done it again and it was like déjà vu. Just like the first time he met her, he was so hypnotized by her presence that his brain forgot to work. How would he call her during the week? Because he had no idea how long it would take to be back to Albuquerque to see them. Damn, how could he not function every time she was around? What spell did Gabriella put in him three years ago that he seemed to be devastated in every ways by her?

"Stupid… so stupid" he muttered to himself, shaking his head and starting to walk towards the airport entrance. His cell phone was in his hand before he could even think about getting it from his pocket, and he was dialing Jason's number.

"Come on, pick it up… answer it Cross" he pleaded quietly, his heart tightening at the sound of his best friend's childish voice mail. "Damn"

He snapped the phone close and opened it again, dialing another familiar number, positive that someone was already awake and ready to work this time.

"Hello?"

"Mum?" he asked, feeling relaxed already at the sound of his mother's animated voice, "It's me"

"Troy, something happened?"

"No, I'm fine" he shook his head furiously, his eyes searching for the right gate, his brain fighting against his heart that wanted nothing more than to have Gabriella's number securely saved in his phone before he got to the plane. People passed by and smiled, pointed and whispered that it was The Troy Bolton and he tried his best, in between his nervousness, to treat the fans politely. "Listen mom, I need a favor"

"Okay, I'm all ears"

He breathed in relief, not only to find the right gate but because his mother was willing to help him, too. "Could you drive to the Skin Deep and get Gabriella's phone?"

"Good morning, sir" a thin and tall receptionist smiled warmly at him, her blond hair falling around her shoulders as she moved her figure seductively, "May I see your boarding ticket?"

"Gabriella's in town?" Kate seemed surprised and maybe a bit shocked, and Troy had to roll his eyes, because he was positive she knew it by now and was just pretending she was clueless.

"Yes, mom, she's back" he said patiently, retrieving his ticket back and smiling politely at the receptionist as she motioned for his gate's door, "Could you discover her number for me?"

"Why? Are you two dating again?"

Troy scoffed, "No, mom... we're not back together"

_Yet_, he felt the urge to add, but knew he wouldn't be able to stop talking if he admitted his wish to be Gabriella's boyfriend again.

"Then why do you want it?"

"Mom…" he sighed exasperatedly, spotting the entry to the plane, knowing he would have to turn off the mobile, "Listen mom, but don't freak out, okay?"

"Okay…" she said slowly, and Troy knew she was already suspicious something big was coming.

"Do you remember Gabriella's daughter?"

"Oh yeah… Ryan's baby? Emma?"

"It's Emerson" he corrected promptly, "And she's not Ryan's baby…" he cleared his throat, trying to sound calm and relaxed, "she's mine"

He heard something collapsing on the floor and he could only hope it wasn't his mother, "Mom, I have to go… but are you okay?"

"Say what? You have a baby?!"

"Yeah… I'm a daddy" he chuckled proudly, nodding when he was told the phone needed to be turned off immediately, "I have to go. Congratulations Granny"

"Tr-Troy?!"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 25, 2008.**

Mondays were always a day to remember for Gabriella Montez. Something big always happened and her world ended upside down and inside out. The worst Monday she ever had was the one when she broke up with Troy Bolton during high school when he cheated on her with Sharpay Evans. After that terrible day, some other things happened, like tripping over something and winding up bruised as if she was hit by someone, getting involved in a car accident, losing her house keys… and it all occurred on Mondays.

For almost a year she believed fervently that Mondays just weren't her lucky days, and she had to accept it and deal with it without whining like a little baby, but then something happened that changed her mind. All she remembered was one really painful Sunday and her baby girl in her arms by Monday morning.

And since that event, Mondays had always been her favorite day of the week. She laughed of the complications and smiled when the news were good. As big as it was, nothing could change her mood. She was controlled and positive for at least the 24 hours of her favorite day.

However this morning, as shocking as it was to admit even to herself, Gabriella was regretting immensely getting out of bed. The day was just starting and she already felt all bothered and uneasy. It wasn't for an unknown reason though, she knew exactly why she felt like this.

Last night Troy went home and she never had the chance to say a proper goodbye. She knew he had to be back to NY early because of the game he mentioned a few days ago, but she missed already being held and soothed by him. It was incredible how she craved for him more than ever knowing what she'd go through the day, as if he was her superhero and could send all her problems far, far away.

Because she had a problem.

A big one.

Talking to Ryan, her best friend and Emerson's former fake dad would be the second hardest thing Gabriella Montez had to do this week and it was about to start. Something inside of her warned that talking to Troy, the real father, was easier than talking to her best friend.

She just hoped anyone ended hurt in the process. Or more hurt than already was. There were times that she wished she had done everything different because it would cause less drama not only in her life, but her daughter's, her mother's, Troy's and Ryan's life. She had been selfish for a long time and it was time to fix all her mistakes.

One thing she had learned as she talked with Troy the night before was the fact that holding so strongly to her three years ago heartbreak was consuming her life immensely and she was not the only one affected by her own decision, but Emerson was obligated to believe she didn't have a father and Troy that he never had a baby. But the fact was the two belonged together and were a family and she did well telling the truth, even if that meant hurting a bit someone that was always there for her.

"Where are my two favorite girls?"

Gabriella looked up from the shop's bills at the sound of Ryan's agitated voice and her heart fluttered in her chest as he smiled his million dollar smile at her. Damn her for being in this mess for so long. She only wished Ryan was as mature as Troy when hearing the news.

Today her eccentric friend was looking as dazzling as usual. He had his blond hair covered with a pink cap that matched his pink pants and a white shirt. Gabriella loved that Ryan dressed and acted the way he wanted, without bothering with others opinions. That was one of the things she loved the most about him.

Throughout high school, he was constantly mocked because of the way he was. Most of the school thought he was gay and he never tried to prove them wrong, he just didn't care. When he assumed in front of Troy and the student body that he was the father of the baby she was expecting, she had asked him if he wouldn't regret such hard decision, because he would be hated and probably bullied a lot for messing with Troy's girl.

Ryan had just chuckled good heartedly and shaking his head, he assured her that he didn't mind what others did or thought about him, as long as she knew the truth. Being against his twin sister and the whole school was the best proof that Ryan Evans was really a loyal and caring friend.

A friend that helped her so much and wiped so many of her tears and now would be hurt. Gabriella would take from Ryan one of the greatest things that happened in his life. Damn her.

"Hi Ry"

Her voice had a strange trembling in it and she felt dizzy and nervous. Gabriella could hear the soft echoes of her breathing filling her ears as she stood up from her chair and turned slowly around the table, taking her time to calm herself.

Ryan was there again, and his presence was as comforting now as it ever was. He was the one she always went after when she had problems, he was the one that always listened and cared about her. Gabriella never imagined that her savior would be drowning so deeply in a problem she had built to herself three years ago and now she'd have to literally dive in and capture him back to the safety of the outside.

_Calm down and breathe, _she told herself as she inhaled and exhaled profoundly, faking smiling at him and waving nervously from one side to another. Ryan raised his eyebrows curiously and laughed lightly, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the side of her head.

"What's up, pretty girl?" he asked lowly, one hand travelling up and down her back as her figure continued shaking furiously against his slender body, "Gabs… what's wrong?"

Gabriella looked up at him and an involuntary shiver ran down her spine all the way to her legs and she felt weak. Her eyes widened slightly with panic and for a whole minute she flinched.

Why did she call and asked him to be there? Why couldn't she tell him over the phone? How could she be standing here, in the arms of the one she was about to crush into pieces? Ryan's eyes darkened as he studied her, knowing something big was happening to his best friend.

_You can do this, _she kept repeating to herself, even though her mind yelled back that she was going to break his heart every time. Gabriella was surrounded by his smell, the way his touch made her feel. Pictures of their past and all they went through together lay in the back of her mind, pressuring her to feel extremely guilty for what she was about to do.

_Go ahead, _she encouraged herself, _He'll understand_, but if she was so positive he would understand her reasons, why panic would not leave her heart? Why she felt like she could lose him in a few minutes?

Could she do it? Was she brave enough to break her best friend's heart? She had to be, she'd force herself to be, because he needed to know. It was the least she could do, not to let him walk around thinking he still had a kid to take care of. She took a deep breath, wondering what words to use.

"Gabs?" he cupped her cheek, frowning deeply, "You're scaring me"

"Ry…" she began slowly, dragging her feelings of protecting him to the back of her heart and choosing to let her head lead the way. She didn't want to hurt him, but there wasn't anything she could do right now, just stick with the truth. "I told Troy Emerson's his daughter"

"Oh…" her words sunk in and his face fell instantly. Ryan's arms quickly let go of Gabriella's waist and he stepped back to study better her pained features, the way the corners of her mouth curled down and her eyes watered, "Why?"

"Because she deserves a dad…" she whispered her answer, feeling rejected as he let go of her, "And Troy… he deserves a daughter"

Ryan sat down on the couch in the end of the room, his hands between his legs, his head facing the ground, his voice low and bitter, "And I don't?"

Gabriella wanted to walk towards him and wrap her arms around his figure, but something in her held her in place, afraid to push Ryan to his limit, "Of course you do, but you'll have your own daughter someday"

"But I wanted Emerson. I treated her as my own daughter since she was inside of you" he protested, finally looking up at her, "Everybody thinks she's mine Gabriella. My mom, my dad, my sister… the whole town"

"You never cared about what people said, Ryan" she reminded him helplessly, unable to avoid the urge to comfort him, going as fast as her legs allowed to the couch as well, sitting down on his side and capturing his hands in between hers, "This is not high school anymore, Ry. I can't live in the past. We can't live in the past" she took a deep breath, "It's Emerson's future, her life… I couldn't do that her. I don't want her unhappy when she grows up"

Ryan rose up one hand to his head, taking his cap off and running it through his blond hair several times. It wasn't about him, Gabriella or Troy. It was about Emerson, it was his precious daughter they were talking about. He couldn't be selfish when something concerned the perfect baby.

She was still holding one of his hands between hers, observing it intently in case he wanted to stop touching her at all. Gabriella breathed in relief though, as his hand curled around hers, squeezing it gently, "I don't want my princess unhappy too"

"I know" Gabriella nodded fervently at the same time her arms wrapped around his neck and she embraced him with all her strength, "You love her as much as I do"

"As if she was my own" he admitted, rubbing one hand on his face and delicately pushing her away from him to stand up, "I just swear to God that if he hurts you two again, I'll kill him with my own hands"

"Ryan?" she stood up as well, "Are you mad at me?"

"At you?" he asked in disbelief, laughing sarcastically and shaking his head negatively, "No, I always knew once he was back, you'd feel the need to tell him the truth" he turned around and went for the doorknob, "I just wish I never went to my mother's house that day and let him see Emmy. I blame myself for losing my girls"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 26, 2008.**

"See you later, Marshall" Kelsi waved to the middle aged man, sharing a smile with another client that waited for Marshall and his wife to get out of the shop to enter, searching around with his eyes for the perfect tattoo for him.

She flicked her hair out of her eyes and reached for the ringing phone, motioning with her hand for the client to wait till she answered it which he nodded promptly, grinning at her. She rose the phone to her ear, "Skin Deep, may I help you?"

"_Yes, I'm looking for Gabriella Montez, is she there?"_

Kelsi let her eyes wander around the shop rapidly, seeking for a glimpse of her friend or her daughter. She laughed quietly as she smacked her forehead playfully, remembering Gabriella was off at the supermarket.

"She's not here" she told the stranger with the beautiful masculine voice, "Do you want me to ask her to call you back?"

"_No, I'll call her again in the end of the week"_ he sounded animated, _"Just please tell her Greg called. Greg Reynolds" _

_

* * *

_

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
AUGUST 28, 2008.**

_Atchoo._

"Emmmm…"

_Atchoo._

"Emerson…"

_Atchoo._

"_Emerson Azalia, stop kissing the cat"_

_Atchoo._

Gabriella sighed tiredly as she put her book aside and shifted on the couch, propping up on her elbows, letting her eyes scan the living room for any sign of her sneezing baby. For her surprise, she found Mo very quickly and wherever Mo was, Emerson was around, this time though, she couldn't see her from her comfortable spot on the couch.

"Emmy?" she sat down, her black and shiny hair falling midway over her back and around her shoulders, "Baby?"

Her heart tightened as her daughter didn't answer her, but as the sneezing continued, she breathed in relief. "Em baby, come here with mommy" she asked softly and heard gentle footsteps getting closer and closer to where she was.

Gabriella waited for what felt like forever till her daughter appeared in front of her, crawling on the floor, moving her head from one side to another and her little butt, too as if she was swishing her imaginary tail, "Oh my God, a cat!" she laughed out loud as Emmy crawled towards her, meowing all the way. She looked down at the baby in the middle of her legs, trying her best to imitate her robot cat, her hazel eyes blinking with happiness as she was visibly proud of herself for tricking her mother to believe she was a real cat. "Where does this cat came from? I thought we only had Mo!"

"Meowwww" Emerson nodded her head up and down, almost losing her balance and falling sideway. Gabriella laughed again, reaching down to grab her daughter in her arms, lying her down on the couch and tickling the soft skin of her tummy, "you're such a funny little pet"

Emerson giggled loud, squealing with her adorable baby voice when Gabriella reached for her underarms and tickled the skin there as well, "What?" she asked innocently, "I'm just petting my cat"

"Mommaaaa"

She laughed lightly, letting go of her and kissing her tiny hand, "okay… Enough"

Emerson sat clumsy on the couch, a grin still on her beautiful face as she handed her mother the remote control, "Cat, cat…"

"I don't know if we have cats on TV tonight, baby" she replied softly, grabbing the control from her hand and searching for something that would entertain her daughter. Emmy sprawled across the couch, moving to her side and rotating into a fetal position just before she noticed that her new best friend was still on the floor, alone and looking unprotected.

Her hazel eyes widened with shock and she climbed off the couch, walking towards her cat and scooping it from the floor, "Mooooo, sowwy"

Gabriella smiled as she looked at her daughter, but her attention changed completely as she heard a very familiar voice coming from the TV that sent shockwaves down her spine. She flickered her eyes to the TV and her stomach filled with butterflies immediately as she spotted Troy Bolton in all his glory giving an interview. He looked extremely sexy with damp and untidy hair, his cheeks flushed from the exercise and his sweaty shirt clinging to his body like a second skin. Her mouth watered and she wished with all her strength to be that shirt for just one night. If she knew his game was tonight, she'd definitely watch it and see more of his precious face. She wanted to do that not only to see him, but to support him, cheer for him and if possible, congratulate him when he won. Like right now. She'd do anything just to have the opportunity to hear his voice and say she was proud of him.

Emerson squealed again, louder this time as she saw Troy on TV as well. She worked her legs to full speed as she ran towards the television, her little arms spread as she tried to hug Troy, as if he was standing right in front of her. "Kitty cat!" she contemplated his figure, pouting for less than a minute when she couldn't reach for him, instead moving her attention to the cat he had given her and grinning at it, "Moo.... Twoyyy"

Once again, Gabriella felt her heart swelling with joy and pride as her baby already recognized him as someone important in her life, giggling when he laughed, raising her hand to brush her bangs out of her eyes as he ran one hand through his hair, copying every single movement he made in pure amazement. Emerson touched her mouth to his cheek as they zoom in Troy, pressing a kiss to the television as if he could really feel it, "Twooy..." she repeated lazily, one hand wrapping around the cat's neck, the other resting comfortably against the big screen of the TV, right on the side of his body, where only Gabriella knew that lay a newly made tattoo symbolizing his love for them. Her eyes watered, but she wiped it quickly as Emerson looked back at her and grinned, "Momma, Twoy"

Gabriella nodded, "I know it's Troy, baby" she smiled in return, standing up from the couch and bending down behind her daughter. She wrapped one arm around the baby's tiny waist and the other she rested on top of hers that was still on the TV, "Why don't you try calling him 'daddy'? she suggested, "Like you call me momma... we are a family, Em"

Emerson tilted her head to the side, as though she was considering if she wanted to do or not what Gabriella was saying. She looked back at the TV and then at her mother and giggled, happy dancing, "Twoy, Twoy, Twoy" she repeated again and clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Twoooy"

"Well, I tried" she laughed and kissed the baby's side of head, focusing her eyes on the TV again, just to see Troy saying goodbye and smiling charmingly to the camera. In a minute he was gone and another player stood in the same place he was seconds before.

"Aww" Emerson turned around, pouting, her face the spitting image of Troy's as she did it. Holding her cat tightly to her chest, she sighed loud, her nose burring in Mo's head and her floppy hair covering her gorgeous eyes.

"What's wrong, baby?" Gabriella stroked her cheek and Emerson's hand balled into a fist. She raised it to her eyes, rubbing it slowly, salty tears threatening to roll from it. Gabriella frowned deeply, the twist in her stomach every time she watched her daughter's face contorting in pain present already. She swallowed, curling a hand under Emerson's chin and forcing her to look in her eyes, "Em, baby? What's the problem sweetheart?"

She sighed again and stepped closer, only to hide her face in Gabriella's chest and whisper her answer, "Dada gone"

"**Hold me now,  
I can't tell if I'm lost or found,  
And I don't know how to let you in,  
Or let you go,  
I'm so vulnerable.  
Hold me now,  
Don't let me down,  
I know for sure that your love cures.**"

* * *

_A/N: Yeah, Sue... just because it's your bday today and you were dreaming of reading Emerson calling him daddy, haha. So consider this your present! Nah, I'm just kidding. you'll have a real one too later! I love you and happy birthday, my friend! ;-)  
_


	12. Inked, Chapter 12

Author Note: I know it's been forever and I am very sorry about that! Hopefully you guys will still read the story and enjoy the chapter! :-)

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or B4-4 lyrics.

"**Now that you're right in front of me,  
There's something that I would like to say to you.  
I made up my mind,  
And If you feel the same,  
I swear that I will be there,**  
**Everyday.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
SEPTEMBER 01, 2008.**

Kate Bolton knew two things as she woke up that Monday and made her way to Gabriella's tattoo shop: one, the anger she was feeling towards her only son for not telling her sooner about having a kid had disappeared completely during the weekend; as much as Troy since he was a little boy took her to the edge of her reason, she'd never managed to get mad at him for too long. He was her only son and her baby and knew exactly the right words and smile to use to make his way back to her heart. Sunday night he had called her again and explained everything about Emerson, her granddaughter... news that, as shocking as it was when he first announced to her, made her completely ecstatic now.

Would she ever think she'd be a grandmother so young? Never. Could she imagine her son would be so happy and proud to be a father? Never, but the fact was, and that led her to the second thing she was certain about as she stepped at the Skin Deep tattoo shop that first day of the month, she already loved her granddaughter even if she still needed to take a good look at the little girl. She loved the baby for making Troy Bolton smile truthfully again and she loved Gabriella for giving him the gift of being a father.

It wasn't because Troy Bolton was her son, but she knew how handsome her boy was and she thanked herself for bringing him to the world. She never really saw Gabriella Montez in person, just once in a picture of Troy's yearbook that he kept under his pillow and she found as she organized his room, but the girl had an unique beauty. She was positive the baby wouldn't be only precious and adorable, but breathtaking like her parents were.

She knocked on the door incessantly, impatiently, her heart beating faster with each new second that passed. She was feeling as nervous and anxious as a teenager and couldn't wait to have a good look on her son's baby girl. As she waited, she repeated the name of the baby to herself a few times, making sure she wouldn't call the little girl Emma in front of her mother. She knew herself how mad she got when people confused Troy's name when he was little.

Kate smiled as she considered that Emerson was such a beautiful name to a baby, her mind already wandering far with thoughts of what she could do to bond with her granddaughter, the places she could take and how spoiled the baby would be by her and Jack. She would need every second possible to enjoy the two years she had missed.

* * *

Gabriella ran one hand through her hair as she made her way to the shop's front door, frowning as she realized it still wasn't time to open for clients and she already had someone knocking on the door. She had to interrupt her breakfast with Emerson and she had to admit that she was not a fan of breaking routines, not the ones that concerned her daughter at least. As she opened the door, her heart accelerated immediately, not because the middle aged woman was someone she knew already, on the contrary, the blond unknown lady standing in front of her, dressed in a red t-shirt and dark jeans could be just an ordinary client, but she swore she had seen her before, because she looked extremely familiar. Being in front of her felt like deja vu. But how was that possible if she had never seen the woman before?

_So weird_, she thought to herself, shaking her head slightly to send her questions away.

"I'm sorry" she said softly, her eyes scanning the woman in front of her, trying her best to think of someone she looked like. Maybe an actress? A singer? "We're not open yet"

"I don't want a tattoo..." Kate explained slowly, stepping inside the shop without Gabriella's consent, her eyes wandering around the cozy place with sympathy. "I'm Kate... Kate Bolton," she added, turning around and smiling at her granddaughter's mother, "Troy's mom...."

It was such a funny thing to have a daughter from a guy she never really met the family of, to have drowned so deeply into a relationship without doing the basic first and sometimes it forced her to laugh about it. She'd probably tell Kelsi later about her ex boyfriend's mom visit, the fact that she had no idea the lady was at first and how embarrassed she had felt. Embarrassed and stupid, because it was only necessary to take a good look at Kate Bolton to see Troy in her. She had the same shape of eyes, the ones that belonged to her daughter Emerson as well and the same chin as his. Kate was definitely a beautiful woman and although she was smiling as she waited for Gabriella to process her information, she felt apprehensive the woman had just appeared to lecture her about not telling her son about Emmy earlier. Oh boy, great way to start a day.

"Mrs. Bolton," she forced a smile, nodding her head once, "Nice to meet you" she cleared her throat, thinking of best ways to talk to the woman without it turning into a mess and agitating the baby that had just woken up. Only she knew how terrible it would be if Emerson was grumpy. Shaking her head again, she focused her attention on her daughter's grandmother and sighed, decided to explain it wasn't a good time to show up.

"Call me Kate, darling" Kate interrupted, stepping closer to Gabriella to close the gap between the two and embracing her into a maternal hug. Gabriella stiffed as she frowned, but as the woman didn't let go of her, she relaxed completely and hugged her in return, even though she had no clue of the reason Kate was being so affectionate towards her. "Thank you"

"What for?" She asked in complete shock, her tone of voice curious as the woman rubbed her back up and down, as if she was not only Troy's mother, but hers as well.

"For telling him the truth, for letting my boy get to know his daughter" she pulled away, the Bolton smile already decorating her nice features. God, she missed Troy. "I know it must have been hard for you, to go through all that alone..." she whispered the words as though it was a secret, "For getting over your fears of being near Troy again, but thank you. He is so happy and I don't see him acting like this since you two broke up three years ago"

"Aren't you mad at me then?" Gabriella asked in utterly relief, the corners of her mouth curling up in happiness as Kate shook her head furiously, a soft laugh escaping her slightly parted lips, "oh, I'm glad..."

Kate smirked and her heart accelerated as she could imagine Troy doing the same, "I came here for two reasons. One," she raised a hand, her finger pointing to the ceiling of the shop playfully, "My adorable son forgot to get your phone number. So I'm on a mission on his behalf... Second," she placed both of her hands on top of her chest, right where her heart beat anxiously, "I'd love to meet Emerson"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
SEPTEMBER 02, 2008.**

Gabriella's heart skip a beat at the possibility of Troy calling her, since it's been a day since his mother had showed up to meet Emerson and get her phone number. Her mouth was dry and she forced her tongue to rub against her lips as she rapidly figured out the best way to answer the phone and fake surprise for his calling. Her hand was trembling at the time she got closer to the phone, and as it wrapped around the mobile, she breathed deeply through her mouth, an involuntary grin on her face, "Hello?"

She frowned as no one spoke, her finger wrapping around a lock of her hair impatiently, "Um... hello?" she sat down on the couch, her foot tapping the floor rhythmically, "Hey?"

Shrugging when no one replied, she ended up the call, leaning against the couch and covering her eyes with the palms of her hands. How many days she'd have to wait to speak to him again?

Damn, she was never a patient woman.

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
SEPTEMBER 03, 2008.  
**

"Gaaabiiiii" Kelsi yelled over her shoulder as she tried to reach her friend that was on the back of the store, her attention all focused on the nice yellow and orange phoenix she was tattooing on her client's back. Gabriella bit her bottom lip, narrowing her eyes as she studied the picture that contrasted perfectly against the gold skin of the muscular college boy. It looked phenomenal, but there was still something missing.

"What Kelse?" she asked lazily, her fingertips tapping nosily against the tattoo bed as she thought about what else to do to decorate his back. Maybe a hint of blue? Did phoenixes had blue eyes? Yeah, maybe they had.

"Phooone"

Gabriella smirked as she nodded her head, the idea of what to do next popping into her mind as a miracle from God, "Working here, Kelsi. Can't right now"

Kelsi touched the phone to her ear again, the words rolling quickly off her tongue, "You will have to call later honey, she's in the middle of a tattoo right now"

The man scoffed and cleared his throat, "Fine... _honey" _

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.  
SEPTEMBER 04, 2008.  
**

Gabriella rubbed her hand against the blurry mirror in the middle of her bathroom, the fog from the hot water creeping on top of her head as if she was in Alaska. Her reflex greeted her pleasurably, her nude body filling her eyes as she let it wander over herself as she rubbed the red towel on her long hair, drying it. She smiled as she had a glimpse of her tattoo on the side of her body and she realized that, for the first time in a long time it didn't bother her that much anymore, on the contrary, she was feeling proud again for having Troy's name on her body.

She touched her thumb on top of the flower, letting it linger on his name for a few seconds before she heard the phone ringing loudly in the living room. Gabriella smiled just one more time at the tattoo, wrapping the red towel around her petite body as the phone rang for the second time. Her hand closed around the doorknob and she pushed the door open, walking decidedly to the living room just to realize the loud ring tone of her cell phone had stopped. She started searching around for her phone in an attempt to see who the missed call was, frowning as she heard her daughter's giggle coming from the apartment's master bedroom.

"What the heck..." she murmured quietly, wondering if her baby had an imaginary friend and she never realized that. Gabriella turned around and walked to her room, towel still wrapped around her securely, even as her body trembled slightly with curiosity. Emerson was giggling loud, so loud that it was as if someone was telling her a joke or playing with her personally. She shuddered, how to explain to the baby that seeing invisible people was never a good thing? How to calm her body if she was one that was always afraid of ghosts or whatever imaginary friends were.

"Em... who you're talking to?" she stopped on her doorway as she saw her two-year-old daughter sitting on top of her bed, her robot cat Troy had given her in the middle of her slightly spread legs, the stuffed cat Ryan had bought her when she was born under her arm, her beautiful head tilted to the side as she had Gabriella's phone squeezed between her shoulder and ear, one hand caressing lazily Mo's ear as she giggled her sweet baby laugh, "Emerson?"

"Mo sleep in my bed..." the little girl was saying contently, not even bothering to look up to see her mother staring at her in disbelief, her hands placed on her hips as she watched the two year old conversing with someone on the phone for the first time. How the heck she knew how to answer a phone? Was she supposed to be talking to a stranger without her consent? "Mo... cat, my... Mo like milk" she patted her own tummy a couple of times, "Emmy like milk too"

Emerson giggled again as Mo moved his head and meowed and she copied the cat's sound, meowing on the phone for the person to hear. Gabriella frowned deeply and sat beside her, her hand resting under her daughter's chin to force her face up gently, "Baby, can mommy have her phone back?"

"Momma talk" she said calmly, handing Gabriella the phone as if the toy was no longer fun, "I nap Mo" she informed, laying down on her mom's bed and hugging the cat to her body, yawning furiously as she lowered her head and batted her eyelashes adorably at her mom, "Momma, talk" she waved her hand rapidly, "talk"

Gabriella was still shocked with her daughter's intelligence as she nodded and raised the mobile to her ear, a sly smile forming on her lips as Emerson crawled to her leg and laid her little head on her lap, "Hello?"

A shockwave ran down her spine as she heard the husky, low masculine laugh over the phone. She held her breath and her heart started with the familiar and always so loud _thump_ _thump_ that drummed painfully inside her ears. Her stomach filled with butterflies and her brain seemed to stop for a few seconds. God, it was him. He was on the phone and she couldn't be more happier.

"Ellie..." he whispered her name and it swirled around in the air as a caress. Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek to avoid releasing a moan at how intimate her nickname sounded. She gulped, her whole body shivering, "You there?"

"I'm here" she said slowly, swallowing her nervousness, "How are you Troy?"

She heard him laugh again. How could he be so calm when she was only a step away of having a heart attack, "I'm fine, what about you?"

"G-good" Gabriella breathed through her nostrils, decided to calm down and not make a fool of herself. Not when she had missed him so much, "We saw your game, congratulations"

"Thank you, El" she could picture him smiling that gorgeous smile of his and that made her stomach twist pleasurably, "I was wondering if you and Emerson were up to visit me in the city... for a little celebration"

"New York?" she whispered her question and he just hummed his answer on the phone calmly, "I don't know Troy, I have so much to do here..."

"Please Gabriella, it's just a weekend..." he pleaded with her, his husky voice making her weak in the knees, "I just want to spend time with Emmy... with you two," he sighed and she shivered again, "Please... we are a family after all"

_Low, that was so low,_ she said to herself, smacking her forehead gently. Gabriella closed her eyes, pondering the possibility of going and having a great weekend with Troy, letting her daughter bond with him and enjoy a nice little trip or stay in Albuquerque, working the whole Saturday, sitting alone at home watching re-runs of SNL. She didn't have to think much because not only her heart wanted her to go, but her mind was threatening to accuse her of being stupid if she said no, "Alright... sounds like a good idea"

"Sweet" he clicked his tongue and she sighed her defeat, her mind flashing his hand running through his soft hair like he always did when he was happy with something, "I'll e-mail you the plane tickets tomorrow"

"Troy, I can buy it" she protested, but he interrupted her quickly, "Don't" he growled lowly, "Don't even think about offering to pay"

She sighed, "Okay... okay"

"Good" he breathed rhythmically on the phone and she found herself stroking her baby's hair at the same rhythm as him, as if they were connected even from afar. "I can't wait to see you two..."

"Em," she began, but shook her head fervently, knowing that if she said Emerson missed him it wouldn't be a complete true. The baby was not the only person that missed Troy. She was missing him as well, she had been waiting impatiently for his call since his mother showed up. Gabriella had been the one dreaming with him every night and wishing he'd be there on the bed with her every time she opened her eyes to start a new day. She was freaking missing him. Missing like crazy.

_Tell him the truth, _her mind warned her and she rubbed one hand across her face, the idea of Troy having her wrapped around his finger sounding very pleasing, "We can't wait to see you too, Troy"

* * *

**NEW YORK CITY, NY.  
SEPTEMBER 05, 2008.**

Was it possible to fall in love again with a person you already loved? Was it possible that even after three years, you'd still feel new sensations when you were about to see that particular person? Was it normal that your knees would weaken so strongly you had to be helped out of the plane by a passenger? And the way the heart was beating so fast, a loud _thump, thump, thump_ that strangely sounded so much like his name... _Troy, Troy, Troy_. She never stopped to notice it before, but she was positive that ever since she met Troy at the supermarket her heart developed a new sound, and it was his name. Because her heart would only beat that way for him. She had tried feeling the same way about Greg, but it pounded surprisingly slow and... bored.

With Troy she never knew what to do, what to expected, what would come next and she liked the feeling of adventure. That was one of the reasons that attracted her to him. She was looking for trouble and she found it in him. If someone told her a few months ago that she'd like the word trouble again after everything that she went through, she'd laugh hysterically. But yes, here she was again, emotions spinning out and turning herself into a Jello. She would attempt it again, she promised herself to believe he'd never hurt Emerson and she would let him have her heart in his hands again. Because her daughter was her heart now, a heart that was just starting to heal. Truthfully, it healed faster every time he was around. As if he was her medicine, her cure. The solution to all her problems and insecurities.

The funny thing was that even though she had agreed to visit Troy with Emerson, even though she could have used an excuse and change her mind about the encounter, as soon as the tickets arrived, she was out of the tattoo shop and on her way to the airport. What was hilarious was the fact that even if she already had a daughter with him, she felt like she was knowing him all over again. She felt like she was 17 and that Troy Bolton was still the mysterious and confident guy that invaded her party without being invited. It was as though she was getting to know him for the first time, as if she was beginning to like him again.

So many memories rushed through Gabriella's mind as she swung her daughter's tiny backpack over her little shoulders and clasped their hands together after retrieving their suitcases. That was it, it was a fresh start, everything that happened before would stay in the past, all that mattered was Emerson, Troy and the love she felt for both of them. She was dropping to her knees so quickly and for the first time in a long time, she was looking forward for what this new chapter in her life would bring. She hoped for better things, but at the same time, she was ready for some obstacles if necessary. Gabriella was decided not to let go of this pleasurable sensation that was filling her heart and soul, and if that sensation came from Troy, she'd clung to him like there was no tomorrow. She would let herself be happy again, enough with punishing him, enough of punishing herself.

Gabriella looked down at her precious two year old daughter and an involuntary smile adorned her beautiful face. She bent down in front of the little girl and brushed her bangs out of her eyes lovingly, touching her index finger to Emerson's nose, "You're ready baby girl? You're ready to see your daddy?"

_Daddy_, she smiled to herself. Who would have thought Gabriella Montez would pronounce the word daddy so easily? For so long, even if she never said it out loud, the word was travelling on her mind bitterly, as if she ending up pregnant with Troy's baby was a sin, as though she had to do everything on her power to keep her daughter away from that man. And now she was here, smiling as her baby nodded vigorously and hugged her cat to her body tightly, and she was ready to take her to him, to give her all to him. She was fearless and she loved that Emerson was so eager to see Troy again, because that was how she always felt too. It was his effect on people, even if they only knew him for a short time, they already fell in love with him. As if he didn't ask to be loved, it was like he demanded love and you couldn't resist him, you just loved him.

Deeply, happily, eternally.

"Mo ready" Emerson stated wisely as she secured her cat under her right arm and smiled, "Go momma, go"

She nodded immediately and stood up, their hands never letting the other go as they began walking to a new life together. Their steps were in sync, their grins matched, both of the girls were holding something precious to them. To Gabriella, her daughter. To Emerson, the cat she considered her best friend already.

The airport was crowded, but Gabriella held her daughter's hand tightly for support as they strolled down the corridors, her hands getting sweaty and her lips turning slightly pale as she approached their destination where she knew Troy would be expecting them. She licked her lower lip and breathed through her mouth a few times as her eyes wandered around, looking for any sight of a beautiful tall guy with chestnut hair.

And there he was... he was facing the opposite way they were, and although she could only see his back, she was certain it was her Troy. His hands were shoved inside his pockets and he was dressed in dark jeans and a blue t-shirt. Her heart skip a bit as she noticed his basketball shoes... his trademark. Yes, he was really there.

She looked down at her daughter and the girl seemed to be in her own world, not noticing her mother's nervousness and anxiety. Gabriella slowly closed her eyes and opened her mouth, his perfect name rolling off her tongue and leaving a sweet taste on her lips. And then the world slowed down as his head perked up at the sound of her voice calling him. Troy looked over his shoulder quickly before turning completely around to let their eyes meet. Blue connected with brown with such intensity that her legs began trembling furiously. He smile understandingly, as though he was telling her he knew exactly how she felt, because he was feeling the same way. His glistening teeth showed when he chuckled quietly and she felt like a wave of emotions collapsed on top of her. Gabriella had no idea if she was already on the ground, if she was flying or if she was standing. She felt like she was over the moon.

Gabriella didn't know how long they were staring at the other with silly grins on their faces, but it was only when Emerson realized it was Troy in front of her and started squealing happily that she snapped out of her trance. The girl was yelling 'kitty cat' over and over again in her sweet tone of voice, trying unsuccessfully to get rid of Gabriella's hand to go and greet him. She quickly let go of the baby's hand and Emerson ran adorably fast to Troy. He bent down and opened his arms, waiting for her and as she closed the gap between them and his arms wrapped around Emmy's tiny back, Gabriella felt like she was watching her favorite movie. She wanted nothing more than to repeat this scene in slow motion for the rest of her life.

It was such a joy to watch them together. Troy looked like he was born to be a dad, the way he scooped their baby up and hugged her like she was his life, how easily Emerson had slipped her arms around his neck to let him kiss her hair and how well they seemed to get along after only a few times of seeing each other certified her that they were meant to be together, that they would always belong together and that she was making the right choice.

She observed as Emerson pointed to her and frowned, as though her baby knew the family wouldn't be complete without her. Gabriella smiled and did the only thing she could right now: she followed her heart. She walked towards them and, as Troy embraced both of his girls in his arms, she sighed happily, because that was where she belonged too. That was her favorite place in the world and she couldn't help but feel in peace.

Gabriella closed her eyes as she felt his heart beating strongly against her own body, two sounds that connected so right together, like the most beautiful melody in the universe. His lips traveled the side of her head, his nose caressing her hair ever so gently, as if she was the most precious thing alive.

"I missed you, baby" he whispered huskily against her earlobe and she shuddered. Gabriella looked up and his eyes met hers and although she felt like she was going to faint, she couldn't help but smile as she nodded her head furiously. Because she had missed him so much too, because she wanted nothing more than to let him love her again. Because she realized she was finally ready to love him too. She was healed.

"I missed you, too" she said softly.

Troy smirked and kissed the top of her head, his free hand stroking her cheek before he moved his attention to Emerson again, "Wanna go home, kitty cat?" he looked at her again and smiled adorably, "Ellie?"

She nodded truthfully and as her daughter giggled when her daddy tickled her stomach, her heart fluttered and filled with joy.

And it was all because of him.

Yes, she was certainly falling in love all over again.

And she was loving it.

"**Everyday from now until I die,  
I will spend my life with you,  
I can only pray that we'll stay the same,****  
Everyday. **"


	13. Inked, Chapter 13

_**A/N: **Yeah, I'm 1 year old!!! Thanks so much for everybody that supported my stories this year, that not only read but reviewed too. I love writing and this is one of the things that relax me tremendously and I'm just happy I can share it with someone! Thanks so much for accepting my crazy ideas, my characters, my different locations and sometimes weird animals. In name of Troy, Gabriella, Jack, Taylor, Sharpay, Chad, Ryan, Garreth, Gabe, Eve, Mandy, Emerson, and every other character I ever wrote, I say obrigada, gracias, merci, grazie, thank you for reading it all! You guys rock!_

_Alright, so someone asked me how many chapters I have left for Inked and ha, I was thinking maybe 15 not sure though. I know I don't have much left to write about and I don't want any more drama, really. I just wish Troy and Gabriella and Emerson to live a happy life, full of adventures and love. But yeah, who knows, lol I'm tell you next time how many chapters left. :p Takeee care!_

_- M_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Jason Mraz._

"**Look into your heart and you'll find love,  
Were just one big family,  
And it's your godforsaken right to be loved.**"

**  
NEW YORK CITY, NY  
SEPTEMBER 05, 2008.**

Troy Bolton was starting a new chapter in his life, one he was sure he'd do everything right and praise the two girls that without much effort made his heart accelerate as though he was bungee-jumping. For the first time, he had stopped thinking about his own pleasure first and was focusing on what the others thought too. For ages he felt like he didn't care too much for what the others would think or say, and still he didn't, expect for Gabriella and Emerson's opinion, those meant the world.

He had done everything correctly and he could see it in his daughter's eyes and in Ellie's smile. Her eyes were blinking with pleasure as they strolled down the park, their baby in the middle of them, hands clasped together, swinging back and forth with every knew step they took towards their new life. They were a family, a group of people now. Gabriella was not alone anymore, because he would take care of her. He would love her endlessly, like he should have always loved. Troy would prove his love to her everyday if possible, he would take tiny steps to conquer her heart and make her truly forgive and trust him. That was his new goal in life and he was looking forward to it. He had so much to catch up on after three years.

The day was lovely and warm, the sky blue and cloudless, the city as loud as normal, not that he cared, because as he walked around Central Park with Gabriella and Emerson with him, he was locked in his own little world, and the madness of the city seemed like a pleasurable adventure. For Troy, the cars did not honk, the people did not scream and the sun was not hid by a building anymore. Everything was fine, it was all good as long as he had the two girls with him. It was actually perfect, he couldn't hope for anything more.

They had spent two hours together already, and those hours seemed like minutes to him. It was incredible how the time flew every time he had fun. Truth was, he didn't want it to pass so fast, he didn't want the weekend to be over, because it meant he'd be alone again and the sound would come back, the crazy people and the darkness from the lack of sun, too. And then it would be just Troy in that huge apartment that had no life, no laughs and not the two girls he loved the most in the world.

He tilted his head back and looked up, his eyes scanning the birds that sang animatedly, flying from one tree to another, seeming so happy to be free. A tiny smile curled on his lips as he studied the preciousness that was that day, memorizing all the single details of it. He quietly prayed that he would feel as complete as he was right now every day, and that he, Emmy and Ellie could be together forever. Troy focused his attention back at his girls, smiling when he saw Gabriella looking at him amused, "Let's sit over there" he suggested, raising his hand and pointing to a beautiful, tall and bushy tree near the lake. "What do you think, El?"

She nodded, shoving Emerson's stuffed polar bear under her arm and indicating with his head he should pick the girl up like he had done when they were visiting the Central Park Zoo. He smirked, scooping the baby up, laughing himself as Emerson erupted in a fist of sweet giggles as she wrapped one arm around his neck to secure herself in his arms... as if he would dream of letting her fall, he'd die before he let something happen with his daughter.

Gabriella waited as Troy sat down on the green grass, Emerson quickly standing up from his lap as she spotted a tiny white dog just a few steps from them, playing with another toddler. She looked pleading at Gabriella, that just nodded and smiled, quietly telling her daughter that she was allowed to go play. Troy frowned and he bit his lip as he observed the little girl moving away from them and bending down to talk with the red haired little boy that seemed to be her age. "Do you think it's safe to let her play with a dog?"

"It's fine," she assured him, crossing her arms over her chest, watching as her daughter threw a red ball for the dog to catch. "She is just over there, if something happens, we can totally see her"

"I don't know, maybe I should go there and make sure the dog is nice to babies... what if it bites her?"

Troy still had his lip squeezed between his teeth when she rolled her eyes and bent down in front of him, cupping his cheeks with her hands and obligating him to stare into her brown orbs. She felt a chill running down her spine when he locked eyes with her and his expression softened immediately, "I know this is a new thing for you, Troy..." she added when he seemed confused, "Parenthood, but nothing is going to happen with her, she is fine, so relax" she stroked his cheek for a second with her thumb and he sighed loudly, "Besides, I don't think the boy's mom would let him play with the dog if it bit"

He looked down and nodded once, then looked up at her face again. Gabriella was so unbelievably close to him again and it still felt like he was dreaming. She was kneeling down in front of him with such a peaceful face, so beautiful and so pure. She was touching him and, as he moved his hand to encircle her waist and she just closed her eyes, he knew she was allowing herself to be touched by him again. Troy's fingertips moved teasingly slow up the sides of her body, caressing her body so tenderly up and down as his nose and warm breath stroked the side of her face, her cheeks, her neck, her earlobe.

"Baby..." she whispered and he connected eyes with her, the gorgeous chocolate color of hers getting lighter with every new breath she took through her mouth. Troy let his right hand run down from the top of her head to her shoulders and she bit her lip at the intimacy from his touch after three years of no contact at all. His knuckles traced her shoulders, going down the side of her body just to stop in the place he knew his name was still inked to her skin, a proof of her love for him since the beginning. He had claimed her his the first time he put eyes on her and she had accepted it. She had agreed to be his forever and now she was in front of him again, even after he fucked up, giving him another chance to love her, bringing him back to life.

"Ellie..." he glued his forehead to hers, his nose caressing hers, the smell of coffee coming from her lips lingering in his mouth, forcing him to lick the bottom of his lip as he thought he would drool any second now. "We made several mistakes in the past, we jumped into the baby part of the relationship," he said slowly, closing his eyes, "not that I regret our daughter, she is the best present you could ever give me, but I just think we should take slow this time" he breathed through his nostrils, his insides wanting to kick himself in the butt for not taking her back to his apartment, undress her and make love for the rest of the weekend, "We should... get to know each other again, just go out on a date... just–"

He was interrupted by her lips crashing down on his. He moaned automatically and locked arms tighter around her, bringing her body to brush against his, opening his mouth to accommodate her eager tongue. Her taste was sweet and it still drove him crazy and begging for more. Troy sucked on her lower lip and she wrapped arms around his neck, both forgetting they were in the middle of the park and there were people probably hating the PDA.

"I think," she finally said, her lips moving slowly on his, her fingers curling around his hair, "that this is a very responsible decision" Troy nodded, tilting his head to the side to capture her mouth on a kiss again. Her lips were soft against his for a second, then tongues started feuding and he had to find strength inside not to lie her on the grass and allow their ultimate connection to happen.

Gabriella pulled away again, her lips pink and swollen, her face flushed and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again, but maybe that was the reason it didn't work out with them the first time, he was trying to get into her pants since the first day he met her. So he would do it different this time, because he didn't want her to think he was after her body, he wanted to show her love. He'd do anything possible to make things work this time. "I want to prove to you that I changed, Ellie. I want you to see I'm worth it..." he involved her in a hug and whispered in her ear, ""I need you to love me in return, baby"

Her whole body trembled slightly with emotion at his words and desperation. She felt salty and fresh tears welling up in her eyes as she pulled away from him, "I never stopped loving you." Gabriella looked down and her hair fell in her eyes, covering the beautiful brown pools Troy loved so much from his sight. She closed her small hand around his fingers, bringing his hand up and pressing it against the side of her body on top of her _Troy_ tattoo, "You filled me with heat again, Troy... you brought it back to life"

* * *

**NEW YORK CITY, NY  
SEPTEMBER 06, 2008.**

Sounds. Feelings. Smells. Atmosphere. It was all so nostalgic and at the same time, it felt like it was brand new for Troy Bolton. He remembered every single detail about Gabriella; the way she laughed, how her sweet giggle made his heart flutter, the way she touched him and it was like flames were surrounding his body and soul, the smell of her perfume, the love that filled the room as they were together. Yet being in his position right now, he had to admit that he was slightly apprehensive every time he thought of what to do next.

It was as though as the reckless, adventurous teenager had abandoned his presence, and let place for a fresh, mature, responsible newborn Troy Bolton to command. Although he was still very confident and brave like the old Troy, this time he had no idea of what to do. He just didn't want to screw up again, he needed to be perfect this time.

Troy Bolton let his eyes travel around the spacious and modern room, just to sigh in annoyance when he realized his house was not exactly the safest place in the world for baby . Actually it looked more like a bachelor pad, previously created for parties and to score chicks. But that was just the old Troy. Now he craved for a house with a white fence, garden and maybe even a dog. He wanted a house that looked and felt like home. Running one hand through his hair, he leaned against the black leather couch and sighed for a second time; he needed a change fast. He had to make sure he'd do anything to be closer to Gabriella and Emerson full time. He could probably do that, he could definitely give up being a player and find an ordinary job back in Albuquerque. He would not make as much money as he did now, but he'd still be able to provide for his daughter and Gabriella.

And the heat, the way not only his insides were melting with warm flames, but his house seemed to have life now, not the empty and cold corridors from before. His couch felt more comfy, his walls more bright, the furniture lovely decorated, as if just because he had Gabriella and Emerson in his life, he was seeing the world differently, it was all good, all beautiful. Troy knew he could give up everything, his money, his job, his potent car, the parties, just to have them, just to feel the way he was feeling right now, just to have the heat warming his cold heart for the rest of his life. The rest was not important if he had the girls.

_So moving back to Albuquerque, _he thought to himself, knowing that he had to base his next steps on how the weekend would turn out to be, because even though he wanted to be closer to Gabriella, he had no idea even if she kissed him at the park, that she wanted to be with him endlessly. But the way they touched, the way their lips connected so perfectly after so much time, the way she said he was bringing her back to life...

"Hm... maybe" he said quietly to himself, nodding his head lazily up and down as he rubbed the back of his neck, his thoughts far away, so far he never really realized the beautiful dark haired woman standing in the middle of his living room and the baby in her arms, dressed in a pink PJ's, sucking on her thumb rhythmically. He never paid attention to her glowing eyes as she studied him, as if he was one of the most important things in the entire world. Troy would only have to take a look at her to stop all his worries, because if their eyes locked, just once, he would see in her expression that she wanted nothing more than to be there with him forever, too.

"It's never a good sign when we start talking to ourselves" Gabriella commented, a half-smile playing on her lips as she rocked her body back and forth, Emerson gradually closing her eyes with every new movement of her mom's body. Troy snapped out of his trance, slightly shaking his head to focus his eyes on her, his heart accelerating immediately and hands getting sweaty. He gently rubbed both of his palms against the side of his jeans, smiling when she motioned with her own hand for him to stand up and join her.

For the first time in a long time, he doubted if he could really stand up and close the gap between them, not because he didn't want to, on the contrary, he wanted it more than anything. But his knees were so weak he couldn't stand and he was so nervous that it was even embarrassing. Troy flushed a tone of bright pink and looked down, just to hear the sickly sweet laugh that escaped Gabriella's throat buzz on his ears when she realized he was like this because of her. Fuck, she knew him too well.

"Great, now you think I'm pathetic..." he rubbed one hand across his face, "I don't know what you do to me, Gabriella. But it's scary 'cuz even if I know you for so long, I still get paralyzed every time you're around" he looked up and she was standing in the same position, the baby clutched securely to her chest, "It's so embarrassing..." he admitted, "I thought one day it would be completely safe to be near you without feeling this crazy rush of emotions inside of me, but it never stops..." Troy breathed through his nose, his eyes focused on his fingers as he started playing with them, "It just gets stronger, I swear one day I'll just explode"

Gabriella smiled big, the urge to be near him overcoming her body as she let her brain process the information her heart was screaming at the top of its lungs. Her legs took her to the place she wanted to be, and even in the darkness of the room that was poorly illuminated by the faint light of the lamp, she found Troy with ease. As though she had been living with him forever and knew where every furniture was... as if it was her house too.

Their home.

She sat beside him on the couch and he quickly shifted in place as she offered the beauty asleep in her arms, involving Emerson in his strong arms as if that was the place she meant to be. Troy kissed the top of the baby's head, his nose caressing the skin of her forehead and she moved against him, very slowly, searching for the most comfortable spot in her daddy's arms. She decided to just rest her little head against his chest, her hand closing around a handful of his shirt.

"I love you, kitty..." Troy whispered gently and Emerson snored lightly, making him grin involuntary. He looked at Gabriella and his heart swelled with love as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, bringing her close, holding in his arms his life... his past, present and future. "I love you, El" he told her, "So much..."

"I love you too..." Gabriella admitted as she wrapped one arm around the two of them, her head touching his shoulder ever so gently as her hand stroked the chestnut hair of their precious baby. Troy sighed in happiness, his lips finding her forehead and pressing a light kiss there that lingered for seconds, sending a shockwave through her body. Gabriella's urge for more was strong, she had been holding herself for so long that now it seemed impossible to keep doing it' she did not have a reason to hate Troy anymore, or the motivation to do it, so the most normal thing was to succumb to her feelings.

"Troy..." she pleaded lowly, her lips tracing his shoulder, "Baby..." he looked at her and his lips parted slightly, his tongue darting out to wet his bottom lip that was as dry as a toast. Damn her for being so sexy and so beautiful. Damn her voice to be able to cause a revolution inside his body. Damn him for being so ridiculously in love with her since day one.

She didn't need to ask for a kiss, because he knew exactly what she wanted because that was what he wanted as well. A kiss to celebrate their reunion, this very moment, the fact their family was together again. He bent his head down to meet her lips halfway and their mouths connected with a soft and quiet _soosh_. Their lips traveled silently against the other, tongues dancing together in perfect harmony.

"Thanks" he said huskily, lips still glued to hers, "Thanks for letting me in again..."

* * *

He was just tense. Hyper. He couldn't focus on anything else. Yes, he was supposed to be sleeping already, he was expected to be completely disconnected from this world and to be enjoying whatever dreamland would offer him tonight. But how could Troy Bolton sleep knowing that someone so beautiful and sexy like Gabriella Montez was just around the corner, sleeping in the guest's room, closer than she ever been from him in three years? How could he relax and try to sleep if every time he closed his eyes, the image of her would pop in his mind and haunt him like a ghost? Because it was not only her laugh, her smile, her face that filled his head, it was her all, body and soul, under him, her sickly sweet voice asking him to go faster and harder, the crave that he had to be with her again after so long, the need to see with his own eyes that his name was still there on her, keeping them together...

Yes, it was already 3AM, but he couldn't sleep, because Troy Bolton was hard at the only thought of Gabriella being next door. He had to admit that this only happened with her, he was never that excited when he was with other girls, it didn't matter if they were prettier than Gabriella or not. Truthfully, he still had to find someone that looked more attractive and perfect to him than her, but it seemed impossible. All the girls were not fun enough, not cute enough, not sexy enough.

It was all Gabriella.

It always was, he just took literally forever to realize that it wasn't only her sex appeal, it was the fact that he was madly in love with her too that would drive him to the edge of his reason. Because with Gabriella nothing seemed enough, he was never fulfilled, he always wanted more. If he touched her, he couldn't stop. If he kissed her, he wanted it to last forever and as soon as he began loving her, he knew it would be eternally.

Troy growled lowly as his dick twitched slightly inside his flannel pants, as if his body was begging for stimulation. _No_, he told himself, he needed to be stronger this time and prove Ellie that he was changed. He could always control his teenage-like-mind before, but this time things were getting harder to deal with. He sighed loudly, kicking the blankets to the edge of his bed.

It felt like deja vu as he sat down on his bed, holding his foggy head in his hands. He could feel his body's frustration collapse on him hard. Couldn't the night be over faster? He wanted nothing more than morning to come, so he could take Gabriella to a public place, where he would be obligated to behave himself. At his house, he wanted nothing more than to act like the savage animal he felt like he transformed into every time she was around. He was possessive, he was needy, he was crazy about her. He was love sick and she was his only medicine.

He had to laugh and shake his head negatively as he stood up to march towards his suite's bathroom. Not that it wasn't true, it was just hilarious that the Troy Bolton was that whipped, even to himself. He never thought he would be so deeply affected by love that he wouldn't act normally again. But it was all Gabriella's fault and if she promised he could have her forever, he wouldn't mind feeling like this. He actually liked it.

_Pussy,_ his mind teased as after being stood in front of the two doors, one that would lead him to the bathroom, the other that would lead him to the living room again, where he only had to go down the corridor to be where his Ellie was, and he decided to be true to his words and go to the bathroom and take a nice shower to calm his body. As the hot water warmed his body and washed his worried away, he finally smiled to himself as the never ending thoughts that rushed through his mind seemed to be gone at least for now.

An hour later, he was back to bed, finally ready to try and sleep again. His mind was relaxed, his body as well. Troy squeezed his eyes shut the exact moment his body made contact with his soft pillow and a pleasurable sigh escaped his thin lips. He could feel his body getting gradually numb as a sequence of yawns were released by his body. His mind was starting to blank off, his thoughts about Gabriella getting mixed with the images of her in his dreams.

Troy breathed softly as he saw himself opening a door, the sound of it loud and clear in his ears. He strolled down an empty room, searching for any signs of her. He looked and looked, but she was nowhere to be found. He decided to sit down on a wooden chair and wait for her, just in case she was lost or late. The chair was comfy and groaned with the new weight on it as he sat down.

His ears perked up as he heard a laugh, so sweet and angelic that he thought it came from above. At the same time, the room's windows opened brusquely and hot air surrounded his body, so soft and gentle that it felt like a caress. Troy closed his eyes, letting the wind stroke his cheeks, jaw, chin... feeling how it ran slowly up to his eyes, traveling along his eyelashes, across his forehead.

"Shhh, don't talk so loud" he heard a distant voice, so bubbly and still very unknown to him, "Oh, no, no,no... it's me"

Troy shifted in place as the wind seemed so strong now that could literally scoop up his body from the chair. He felt like his arms and legs were being lifted and his stomach twisted gently with the soft material that made contact with the side of his body and neck.

"I don't like you anymore" someone, a girl – he was positive of that – complained and he wondered where the heck the voice was coming from. Now it seemed so familiar, so baby-like-sweet. "Okay Mo... okay"

_Mo? _he said quietly to himself, knowing that this was the name his daughter called her cat. He shifted again as a body snuggled closer to him, soft hair tickling the skin of his left arm and he knew for sure he was no longer dreaming. He opened his eyes slowly, just to see that it was 5PM and that he probably didn't sleep not even for an hour. Tilting his head to the opposite side of his alarm clock, he was met with the most adorable hazel eyes in the world.

His heart fluttered inside his chest and he found himself smiling at the little girl. Emerson giggled and snuggled closer to him as he wrapped one arm around her tiny waist, her hand closing around his earlobe as she played with his earring.

"Baby, what you doing here?" he asked gently, one hand that now looked too big rubbing her back up and down, as he tried his best not to laugh at the frown on her face. She was too damn adorable for her own good. "How did you get here?"

"Mad?" she asked shyly, her lips pressing together in a thin line as she looked down, afraid he was angry for her escaping to his bedroom.

"No" he shook his head lazily, tickling her under her chin so she could look him in the eyes, "I'm not mad, baby. I'm just curious"

Emerson relaxed completely at the confirmation that her daddy was not mad at him and she rapidly jumped up on the bed, Troy's reflex as a basketball player helping him to sit down to scoop her in his arms as she lost her balance for a second and almost fell of the bed, "Watch out kitty"

The toddler giggled again, clapping her hands animatedly as though falling of the bed would be really fun. Troy rolled his eyes and laughed too, sitting her down on his lap and kissing the top of her head, "So, what are you doing here?"

She rubbed the top of her head, "I sleep kitty"

"You want to sleep with me?" he lifted a single eyebrow and she nodded excitedly, unwrapping his hand around her waist to lie down on the bed again. Emerson patted the bed and Troy smirked, lying down beside her and closing his eyes as she touched her little hand to his face, "I sing now" she informed more than suggested and he nodded, "Sing the kitty song, like momma sing"

Troy knew that having one of his girls in his arms, was the safest way to guarantee he would sleep peacefully for the rest of the night. Surprisingly, he was wrong this time as he decided not to sleep anymore, finding the idea of staying awake and watching his daughter sleep much better than sleeping himself.

* * *

**NEW YORK CITY, NY  
SEPTEMBER 07, 2008.**

Things changed drastically in a matter of seconds, Gabriella knew it, she was a walking proof it did. Her life always followed this philosophy, ever since she could remember. She began noticing it when she was a sixth grader, because she used to hate math with all her power, but then one day she woke up liking it. The same happened with broccoli and now she was addicted to broccoli and cheese. With Troy was never different, on the contrary, it happened more powerfully. She loved him for so long, then she hated him with what she thought was all her forces, now she loved him again... immensely.

A couple of hours ago, she had found herself freaking out, literally having a panic attack as she got inside the elevator with Troy after him convincing her that letting Emerson with a nanny for the first time, so they could go out for a couple of hours and spend some time alone was not a suicidal suggestion. Not long ago, the idea of letting her two year old daughter with a stranger in a city that was not the one she lived and at a house that, as much as she felt like it was her own, was not home, was very scary.

Only 120 minutes ago she was trembling from head to toes, thinking she would not be able to enjoy nothing of her night with Troy because she couldn't get her head off Emerson alone with a woman that looked way too young and very reckless. The thing was, she had no reasons to freak out, since Troy had promised that the nanny was well recommended by one of his team mates, that she used to take care of all his children for more than two years and nothing bad ever happened. Gabriella had shook the girl's hand, had talked to her and read letters from previous parents that had approved her work with the kids, but she couldn't help but still feel a bit uneasy, as if her daughter was not safe, even though she clearly was.

She had no idea when it happened, or how it happened, but as soon as Troy clasped their hands together and the breeze of the night surrounded her body, her worries about Emerson being too small to stay with a nanny disappeared. That moment, Troy Bolton was the only thing she could see, the only person her mind could focus on, as selfish as it could sound.

"Gabriella..." his voice was soft as a silk, so husky that raised the hair of her body. Yes, everything had changed so much. A night that had started with her panicking had transformed in pure lust, pure need as she rocked her body against his, grinding, their sweaty bodies clinging to the other strongly as they moved at the same rhythm of the song, both of them silently telling the other that they never wanted to let go.

Troy had surprised her with VIP tickets to the concert of her favorite band, and she couldn't remember when was the last time she had so much fun like she was having tonight. She had sang and danced, jumped excitedly, she had a gorgeous man beside her, laughing all the time, thinking that everything she did was amazing, a man that really enjoyed her company and loved her. What more could she ask for?

Their bodies were moving gradually slower as the song the vocalist was singing turned into a mellow ballad. It was hot, a freaking inferno inside the stadium, but as much as she needed air, she needed Troy, and she had decided the time she stepped in that place that she would only let go of him when she had to go back to Albuquerque tomorrow.

_Albuquerque_, she thought to herself involuntarily as Troy wrapped his stronger arms around her body and buried his head in the crook of her neck. Tomorrow it would all be over, the magic she felt when he was around, the feeling of being loved, the heat that filled her. Gabriella frowned as her nose touched his muscular chest. She shook her head slightly, this was not the time or place to think about sad things, it could wait till tomorrow. Tonight she was going to have fun with Troy as if there was no tomorrow.

"You're so fucking beautiful, baby" Troy whispered against her neck, his hot breath tickling her skin, the tip of his nose lingering on the curve of her neck and shoulder. Gabriella moaned automatically and Troy growled darkly against her skin, knowing that if she started moaning it would be the death of him. For her surprise, he was already aroused and she could definitely feel it, but she wouldn't be the one to mention it since she was as excited as he was.

Troy had created her, he had created the monster addicted to sex that she had transformed into every time he was around. It was pure need to be connected with him in every ways, to feel him fill her insides with his best. Troy being so handsome didn't help her at all. To say that tonight he looked amazing was a lie, because he looked better than it. He was exhaling sexiness and confidence and she wondered if she would be able to keep her hands to herself any longer.

He had done everything correctly to seduce her, he brought her to see her favorite band, he had offered the best drinks she had ever tasted, he was dressed in black, and God only knew how much she loved when he was wearing black. Troy's floppy hair that he had recently trimmed a bit was messy as she kept running her hands through it as they danced, part of her loved that he used his hair long, but the other part of her getting more aroused now that his hair was slightly shorter, just because she could see his eyes getting darker as he observed her.

His big and calloused hands traveled down the sides of her body as the song changed to a more agitated one, caressing her exposed skin, letting traces of fire on her. His fingertips moved promptly up and down, mechanically, teasingly, inviting... so freaking tempting. Troy's nose stroked her jaw, his hands cupping her hips and pulling her closer. Gabriella closed her eyes and let her emotions sink in as she felt his forehead touching hers, his breath was rough and warm against her mouth and nose, and it smelled like the mint gum he was chewing on.

"What are you doing to me?" he asked huskily to her, his eyes squeezed shut, his tone of voice low and dangerous, "What I feel for you is going to kill me one day, El... I'm going to explode"

As he said these words, she felt like his erection popped more noticeable, and she wondered what he really meant by explode. The moan that escaped her lips was embarrassing, but was as low as a whisper compared to the loud music that was being played by the band. Troy felt his heart constrict at the sound of her pleading and his brain shouted that he should do something, that being rational wouldn't work anymore, mostly because he became unthinkable when he was with her.

"Fuck" he hissed darkly, his teeth squeezing the corner of her mouth as Gabriella held tightly to his hair, their bodies functioning against the other, "I'm trying to go slow, but having you here so close to me..." he whispered the words lovingly against her mouth, "It's so hard.. so fucking hard baby"

"Then let it go" she pressed her lips against his in a quick yet lasting kiss, "Don't hold back too much. I'm not hurt anymore"

"I promised--"

She shook her head rapidly, interrupting him. Her hands closed around his hair as he pulled her closer to his body, "We wasted too much time already" Gabriella pleaded, her kisses lingering on his shoulders, face and neck. "What we feel is not going anywhere, so love me Troy... Or let me love you"

The minutes passed by slowly as he looked at her intently. Gabriella's eyes widened slightly with anticipation as she observed his blue orbs darken with lust. Troy's large hands pressed roughly against her hips as he licked his lower lip like a savage animal that had just spotted its prey. As if he was the lion and she was the weak lamb.

She traced his cheek and clenched jaw with her thumb, quietly praying that he would do what she had asked. His fingertips moved eagerly from her hips up her arms and she felt like it was possible for her toes to curl with pleasure. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back as she was sure she could trust him to hold her and not to let go.

"Decide it already" she said lowly, almost begging. And as his mouth closed around hers and she felt her feet no longer touched the ground, she smiled to herself. He was going to love her.

"**So I won't hesitate no more,  
It cannot wait, I'm sure,  
There's no need to complicate  
Our time is short,  
This is our fate,  
I'm yours.**"


	14. Inked, Chapter 14

_A/N: You know what? Troy and Gabriella were never supposed to end together. Why I'm always a sucker for happy endings? But well, this is the last chapter, so thanks so much for sticking around for this long - I can't even thank enough for your patience and love for my characters. This chapter is small and I wrote like three different endings for this story, but yeah - I like this one best. Hope you guys are not disappointed with the lack of drama - I think we had way too much drama already, lol. But maybe... maybe... hmm. So I'll do something - since you guys are so amazing, you decide! Epilogue or not?_

_About Wakareru and Brantwoods' Cowboy - I understand and completely admit that I've been crap with updatings, lol. It's just so much been going on, I've been working lots and studying, and well.. it's tiring. At the end of the day all I want to do is sleep. But since I had a day off today, you get Inked. I don't think I'll give up on Waka or BC - it just might take a while till I finish the story, but yeah... maybe not. I just got my muse back, so maybe we'll have plenty of chapters now that I've finished another story. That makes me feel good! Okay, on with the story and I'll shush for now. Take care and see y'all later! xx, M_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Luke Bryan._

"**Baby I'm not who I was,  
You gave me your love and it woke me up.  
And made me more aware of something deep inside.**"

**NEW YORK CITY, NY  
SEPTEMBER 07, 2008.**

The bed was warm, his room had an intimate atmosphere, the rain was pouring insistently against the window, a consistent _tap-tap_ echoing in the darkness and lulling them to peacefulness. A sweet ballad played in the background, low and sexy. In the glow of the flickering yellow candles, she looked like a goddess. Gabriella was soft under and around him. Soft and fragile, delicate as a flower. Guards completely down. She had been defenseless in bed, asking him to possess, begging to be loved by him. And he had loved her, twice already.

She had been eager, inviting, passionate, and he had given her his everything, all the best he had inside for her, taking her to her climax, to their heaven. And being with her in a bed after so long, being inside of her again, had only confirmed where he needed to be next, what he had to do with his life. To her, to Emerson, to their family.

Still drowning in her love, he could picture their happy ending. The way his life would be in a few years, the joy in his eyes and the love in his heart. He had found that fate had worked to bring him back to his true love after all, knowing he could not exist without her. Knowing his life was worthless before he met her and then again, when he lost her. She was his and always would be. They had each other tattooed on their bodies, but also in their souls – a permanent mark that remembered everything they've been through and why being together was so worth in the end.

Without a sound, he moved inside of her again, testing and preparing her body. She arched her back, pushing towards him, helpless, pleading. The powerful sensation of being connected, linked again traveled from one to the other and their moans got lost in the music. His calloused hand was gentle against her, caressing and exploring the body he'd never get tired of seeing and touching. I love you, he repeated inside his head over and over again, scared that if he voiced his feelings now, he'd melt down and cry in happiness.

Unlike his slow movements, the pressure on her lower belly was increasing rapidly. The fire that rose from the tip of her toes with every new thrust was building fast her release and as much as she wanted to make this moment last, she knew their bodies were still needy. He was pulsing inside of her and she heard herself cry out as he twisted his hips to reach deeper, so deep she felt as though he touched her soul.

When Troy fulfilled her long-felt need, and hot, thick liquid dripped down her thighs, they connect mouths again in a hungry, yet sweet kiss. His blue orbs locked on her brown ones and as she grinned in satisfaction, he touched the tip of his nose to her cheek.

"Marry me"

His voice was so low and soft that she could only identify his words when his mouth traced the proposal against her jaw. "Troy-"

"Not now" his lips moved to her ear, his teeth tracing the skin. "In a month, NYC, New Mexico, Vegas, you choose, just marry me"

"Troy, are you crazy?" he interrupted her shocked lips with a kiss. When she spoke again, her voice was uncertain and fragile, "I'm tired of playing games. It wouldn't work Troy, you live here and I... I live there"

"I'll quit" he said calmly, his fingertips lingering on her left breast, around her rosy nipple. "This was never my dream, Gabriella. If you don't mind to live a normal life, please accept me. I love you"

She blinked the tears away, his proposal making her heart beat madly. "What if you get tired of us? What if it's not the life you want?"

"You are my dream and my priority, Gabriella. I want to make you happy" he kissed her bottom lip and melted in her touch when she ran her fingers through his hair, "I want you, I want Emerson, I want more babies. Marry me. Be with me forever"

Troy laid his head on her breasts, feeling her heart beat faster and the hair in her body raise. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on her breathing, his fingers lazily stroking the top of her tattoo. Gabriella kissed his hair and ran a hand down his back. He opened his eyes and looked up, just to meet her shiny ones observing him. As Troy linked their fingers, she whispered, "Yes, I'll marry you"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
SEPTEMBER 08, 2008.**

"Skin deep, good afternoon?" Kelsi asked in her cheerful voice, predicting it would be Gabriella again worried about business. She had laughed not even thirty minutes ago when her best friend called, all ashamed and bothered, saying she'd be staying in NYC for one more day because they had things to solve before she left. By they she imagined, at first, Gabriella and Emerson, but as to certify herself, she had asked what she meant by 'they'. When she explained that Troy had decided to quit and go to Albuquerque and that, they actually were engaged since last night, she realized her head was spinning.

And then she laughed again, happy about her friend. Kelsi suggested Gabriella should stay for a week at least, that she could handle her clients, but as stubborn as ever, she had promised to be back home by tomorrow. Kelsi insisted she'd stay and enjoy herself, but as usual, her friend was worried about work, so she gave up. And now, every time the phone rang, she could always image Gabriella scratching the back of her neck, cheeks red as she called again to ask how things were going.

"I want to talk to Gabriella, please"

"She's away on a trip to New York city. Do you want to leave a message?"

The man cleared his throat, a bit impatient, "When she's back?"

Kelsi grabbed a pen and tapped it against the front counter, "Tomorrow. Do you need a tattoo?"

"Hmm, maybe. I'll stop by tomorrow. Thanks, honey"

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
SEPTEMBER 09, 2008.**

His body was leaned back against a shiny blue car parked in front of the shop, his shoulders slouched, his long legs crossed at the ankles. He wore a long-sleeved red shirt and black jeans, his blond hair covered under a baseball cap, his expression tired and anxious. It was his first time in Albuquerque, but he had easily found Gabriella's shop and heard from the cleaning lady that she lived on the second floor of the shop with her baby. According to the woman, Gabriella had traveled to New York on the weekend, but had called and said she'd be back today, so it was just a matter of time. He'd wait the whole day if it was necessary.

There was one thing that Greg Reynolds never did, and that was ask for forgiveness. In his reasoning, he was always right and people needed to recognize it. But he also knew when something was good for him, and that was Gabriella. He had been happy with her, he had grown to love Azzy as his own daughter and he missed both of them. So the least he could do was declare himself sorry and try to understand that Emerson's dad would always be important to Gabriella, but that didn't mean she didn't like him as well. Because she loved him, she had said that several times, and he couldn't wait to surprise her and take her home.

Gabriella was going to be over the moon.

His eyes focused on the black SUV that drove in the parking lot. The car came to a stop and he waited with his heart drumming wildly against his ribcage. When she appeared, he felt he lost his world. Gabriella was so freaking pretty. She was using her hair down and wavy, like the first time they went out on a date. Her purple short dress was flirty and sexy, showing her well toned legs. She was laughing her sweet giggle when she jumped off the car, her hand moving fast to the backseat door. He was so hypnotized by her beauty and the pleasurable twist in his heart that he never saw the tall, sandy-haired guy that approached her and wrapped his arms around her.

For a second, he debated if he should go there and beat the crap out of him for touching his woman when she didn't want to. But when Gabriella laughed and linked her arms around his neck to kiss his mouth, he paled automatically. Greg observed how the unfamiliar man nuzzled her neck and she threw her head back, laughing loud, like she never did with him. She saw how she touched her lips to his chest and looked up at him, with more love than she ever showed him. They looked like they belonged together and that made him want to vomit.

It was impossible for Gabriella to fall in love with someone so easily, because it took forever for her to fall in love with him. Was she cheating on him all this time with that tall guy? What did he have that he didn't? How could he make her look at him like this, when he tried for a year and a half without success?

Greg froze in his spot, watching as they interact, the way the guy put his hand on top of Gabriella's as she opened the backseat door. He playfully wrapped one arm around her waist and brought her back to his side with no effort and a stupid grin on his face. He said something that made her roll her eyes and laugh as he leaned inside the car to appear back with Emerson in his arms. His Azzy... his babygirl smiled when she saw the guy and the white cat he collected from inside the car as well. He kissed her cheek and then her baby lips sweetly, as if he was part of the family. The guy had both of his girls wrapped around his finger and he couldn't take it anymore.

"Gabriella!"

The three of them turned, and Gabriella paled immediately. She was completely taken back when she saw Greg Reynolds, her ex boyfriend that had kicked her and her baby out of his house in front of her, looking partly sad and partly mad at her. She couldn't understand what the heck was he doing in Albuquerque now, not today that she was so happy.

Troy looked at her curiously when he felt her hand tremble on his and Emerson hid her face in the crook of her daddy's neck. Gabriella swallowed and looked at her now-fiancee, cupping his cheek to glue her lips to his for a brief second, "I'll be right back okay?"

"Do you know him?"

"An old friend," she said truthfully, "Can you wait for me here, please?" when Troy frowned at her, she smiled and brought up his hand that had a new gold band wrapped around his finger and kissed it, "I'll be okay, just wait for me, alright?"

As he nodded, she rubbed Emerson's back up and down soothingly, and the little baby looked at her, her arms still wrapped around Troy's neck, "Stay here with your daddy, alright?"

Emerson nodded, "Dada... I, here"

Greg was standing there, only five feet away from her, and as she took her time to close the gap between them, she couldn't help but wish he was not there to cause trouble, not when Troy was there. Only she knew what a big mess would be if her ex-boyfriend tried something. Troy would literally kill Greg.

The seconds passed by slowly as she walked and her hands became sweaty. Gabriella breathed deeply through her mouth when she stopped in front of him.

"What you're doing here?"

"Who's he?" Greg motioned with his head, his arms crossing in front of his body protectively when Troy shot him a look from afar.

"He-," she stopped, knowing that saying boyfriend or fiancee sounded stupid. Troy was always more than that to her, "He is mine...I'm his" she heard herself saying as she raised her hand to show her engagement ring. "We're happy"

"Already?" Greg seemed surprise and she ignored the sarcastic tone of his voice, "Azzy?"

"My baby is fine with her daddy"

When the word 'daddy' rolled off her tongue, Greg understood it all – the looks of love, the ring she had, the family vibe. His eyes went straight to Troy's face and then the baby's. Hair, shape of eyes, smile – Emerson was the spitting image of him. They looked good together, he had to admit, two of a kind. The way the little girl was holding to Troy like he was the air she breathed and how he had his arm possessively around her as well just made him more envious. He had longed for this kind of relationship with her, he had wanted to be Troy for them, to please both of them. For a long time, he had wished he didn't exist, so he couldn't feel insecure about Troy showing up one day and taking them from him. And that's what had happened. He had let Gabriella go for a short while, and he had lost her already.

Greg was always right. She never forgot him.

The bitter laugh that escaped his lips made Gabriella take a step back, but he just shook his head. "So he's Troy. I came here because I want you back"

"You dumped me, Greg" she reminded him.

"I know, I made a mistake"

Gabriella massaged her temples, "I'm happy, Greg. I love Troy"

"What if he hurts you again?"

"That's not your business, but even if he does, I won't be running back to your arms" she said decisively. "It's over, Greg"

Gabriella felt a hand squeeze her shoulder and she was automatically safe. She placed her hand on top of Troy's and backed off, till she was in his arms again. Troy cleared his throat as to indicate the conversation was over, his arm around her stomach as he hugged her from behind to show that she was his, intimidating successfully the blond guy.

"Goodbye, Greg"

He nodded slowly, mechanically. "Take care of Azzy and... be happy Gabriella"

"I will" she assured him, turning around to wrap her arms around Troy and Emerson. Greg got in his car and disappeared down the road and the tension on her shoulders went with him. She breathed in relief, wanting to laugh at herself for thinking, even for five minutes, that Greg would do something crazy with her or her family.

Family, she mused, looking up to press a kiss to Emerson's cheek and then Troy's. She had a family now.

"You'll have to explain me what the heck was going on later" he kissed the side of her head.

"Yes, I will" Gabriella agreed, "But not now, we have a long time for that"

Troy traced a fingertip along her jaw, "Yes, we have forever"

The word buzzed in her ears, ringing over and over again, and she felt the happiest woman alive. "Are you sure we're worth it?"

"Believe me," Troy started, linking their fingers together as they walked towards the Tattoo shop and their new life together, "you're worth it"

She smiled and as he looked down at her, his grin mirrored hers, "I love you, Troy"

"We're gonna be happy, baby" he sealed his promise with a kiss, "And... what about a kitten?"

Hearing that, Emerson squealed with joy.

"**Something that I have, a life I wanna share.  
And I'll remember this as long as I love,  
Every note, every word, every single kiss.**"

_So, epilogue or not? you decide!_ :-)


	15. Inked, Epilogue

_A/N: So, it's finally over. Troy and Gabriella went through a lot, but I'm sure it was all worth in the end. I think the whole point of the story was to prove that love can really change a person. Troy went from a guy who didn't care about anything to a caring man. He stopped thinking only about himself and concentrated in Gabriella and Emerson as well. He found what he wanted to do with his life, and how to get Gabriella's trust back. So I think he was successful. Lesson learned! :o) _

_ Thanks for reading and I hope you like the epilogue. Take care!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Matt Pryor lyrics. _**  
**

"**If I could do it over then,  
I wouldn't change a thing,  
I wouldn't trade it all.  
I wouldn't make adjustments,  
Even knowing I might fall.**"

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
DECEMBER 11, 2010. **

She was a vision in white, her hair up in a perfect bun, two thin strands of hair adorning her round face. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, the ones she was afraid to let roll freely from her eyes in case the make up decided to prove itself not waterproof this time. The petite woman walked down the isle alone, but with confidence, her lily bouquet securely tucked in her hands, lighting up the room.

Gabriella found herself grinning dreamily as Kelsi spotted her in second row and winked. Her brown orbs traveled the church swiftly and locked on the pair of blue eyes she knew so well. She playfully stuck out her tongue and Ryan Evans laughed at her for a moment, before his attention focused on his fiancee. Her heart swelled with pride as her two best friends clasped hands and started their vows. As Troy's arms wrapped possessively around her figure from behind, she snuggled against his chest. His lips brushed on her cheek and his fingertips lazily on her stomach.

"You looked like an angel on our wedding day." he whispered huskily against her ear and her mind immediately took her back to that beautiful Hawaiian beach. She squeezed her eyes shut and it felt like she was there for real. She could smell the beach, hear the sound of the waves crashing into the shore, the soft sand that tickled her toes as they walked hand-in-hand observing the bright full moon and the tiny stars.

Unlike the expected, they went on a honey moon before they even got married. Troy had surprised her with tickets to Hawaii barely a month after he moved in with her to her apartment on top of the shop. She was surprised and delighted, even if the tickets meant they had to leave Emerson behind for two weeks. Although she was worried, she trusted Kate Bolton to take care of her daughter as if it was her own, so going away on a trip with the man of her dreams was easily enjoyed. They had meals on their balcony with a nice view of the transparent water, went out on dates, made love and on their last day there – married to the sound of seagulls crying out and ukulele.

To say it was only a surprise to go back to Albuquerque two weeks later already married would be a lie. It was a chaos, because somehow everyone seemed hurt for not being able to join the couple during that special moment of their lives. What their friends and family couldn't understand was that Troy and Gabriella needed to be alone. It was only them, the moonlight and the water, just like the first time they had been together, only the first of many times their bodies connected. It was sexy and intimate, precious and unique and it belonged to only them. Their wedding in Hawaii was special, even if they didn't have their daughter or a fancy party. They had everything they needed at the moment, beautiful rings and powerful love.

Gabriella could swear she not only came back home with a gold band on her finger and a new last name, but she'd bet she had arrived pregnant with her second baby. A month after her wedding, she was already suspicious. Two months later, she had confirmed her pregnancy. Three months, they had bought a bigger house. Things had changed so drastically in such short time, but she had no regrets about it. She was completely satisfied with the way things were.

"So, so pretty" Troy's soothing voice brought her back to reality and she realized he was still talking about their wedding day. "I couldn't believe you were my bride. I was blown away, totally on my knees. Before you, I never thought I'd be able to vow to be faithful, to care for someone. To love someone for the rest of my life." he chuckled and nuzzled the side of her neck, "How silly I was, baby, and how lucky I am to have the most beautiful, intelligent and sweet wife in the entire world."

Gabriella's eyes filled with tears as he intertwined his left hand with hers, their twin gold rings catching her attention. She was lucky as well, to have not only a husband in him, but a best friend, a lover and definitely a great dad to their kids. He was what she always wanted and needed, the first man of her life and the last one.

She looked up and their eyes locked, their noses brushed, their lips craved for the other. Troy's thumb got her solitary tear and she sighed with pleasure, "I love you so much."

He ran a fingertip down her nose and closed the gap between their lips, "Till death do us part."

As she repeated his vow, the church erupted in cheers. She toyed with Troy's wedding ring as they watched Ryan and Kelsi make their way through the crowd and out of church, wishing the Evans would be as happy as she and Troy were.

* * *

**ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO  
DECEMBER 20, 2010. **

His well trained eyes observed the position of their legs and the way it moved, how their hands gesticulated and their chests rose up and down with each new breath. The groans that escaped their lips were loud and angry, but it was like music to his ears. The obscenities that he knew he should probably prohibit to roll of their tongues were more present as the seconds passed and the sweat rolled down their tired faces due to the extreme exercise. A loud cuss echoed in the gym as one of the players lost the ball, but he ignored it – it was only fair to let the boys swear if the game was heated enough. He knew he had done the same thing countless times when he was in court.

Troy Bolton bit his lip, his hands balling to fists with anxiety as he stood swiftly from the bench, his blue orbs focusing on the tall sophomore that was about to shoot. Go Ian, he cheered to himself, trying his best not to show his preference for the student in front of the other boys. Ian was cocky, he knew that, but he was also a hard worker. For an unknown reason, he liked the boy, simple like that.

Gabriella on the other hand, used to tell him that the reason he liked Ian so much was because he once was just like him. The teenager had been transferred to East High School over four weeks ago and had already been suspended twice. The school treated him like a God, he had a confident smirk and was excellent basketball player. The first week in town, Ian had appeared at Gabriella's tattoo shop and Troy happened to be there too, fixing her computer. He had rolled his eyes at the boy's attempt to pass as a twenty-two year old college guy and laughed when Ian's face paled after learning the tattoo shop belonged to his coach's wife. His Ellie had told him during dinner that she saw the old Troy in Ian, that she could sense he was trouble, just like her husband used to be.

"It worked, Mr. B, just like you said it would." Ian ran to the courtside where Troy stood after scoring and happily smacked fists with his coach, "Did you see that?"

He grinned and the teenager's eyes blinked with pleasure when Troy patted him on the back, "I told it would work if you straightened your back. Nice job."

Ian's attention quickly changed from Troy as the gym's door opened and a green-eyed brunette walked in. She waved at Ian shyly before sitting on the bench with a few other students that observed the guy's last practice. Troy chuckled and Ian blushed as he realized he was caught staring, "You like her?"

"I don't know. She makes me feel all weird inside." he admitted, swallowing hard. "I feel like I'm gonna faint since the first time I saw her. Do you think that's possible, Mr. B?"

Troy raised a single eyebrow, thinking about the first time he saw Gabriella at the local supermarket. He never thought love at first sight could happen, he always believed chemistry did, love... not so much. But he had been proved wrong. Wasn't he married with the girl that, just like Ian felt now, made him all weird inside? Weird, he mused with a funny look on his face, only later he'd figure out that it was love. And wasn't he happy and still completely in love with her?

"You know what, Ian? I do believe in love at first sight." Troy grinned, punching the boy playfully on the arm, "If you like her, go talk to her. Don't lose opportunities, man. You never know if you'll have a second chance."

"Ya think, coach?"

Troy nodded, "You'll never know if you don't try." he winked and collected his things, waving off the basketball team, "Merry Christmas, Wildcats."

He walked out of the school dressed in dark jeans and a black polo shirt. In two years Troy hadn't changed much. He still had a tiny black dot on each earlobe, his hair was still floppy, but a bit shorter now. He still looked really young, he knew it – people often couldn't believe he was married already and with two kids, as if a twenty-three year old guy deciding to start a family that soon was a mistake. That thought never crossed his mind, not even when he had to wake up in the middle of the night to help Gabriella out with the baby, or take Emerson to a little friend's birthday party when his favorite team was playing. Troy never regretted his life was the way it was; that sensation of being complete only came when he was with Ellie and their babies.

Troy Bolton was definitely happy with a common life. They had a big house near the tattoo shop, a mortgage, a cat and even a dog. The backseat of his car had proper seats for kids, his living room tons of toys on the floor. Their home was always noisy, sometimes he couldn't think. Sometimes he'd get tired of hearing Barney songs or watching the same cartoons. But he loved every second of it and he wouldn't change a thing, not even their past because he knew that everything that happened before, took him to where he was today. To know what he really wanted to do with his life, to know what happiness was to him. And to feel that way, all he had to do was open the door to his house, see his kids playing and Gabriella grinning at him. At that, he'd relax completely, he'd feel complete.

As he pressed the gas pedal and drove off the school's parking lot, he couldn't help but think they were doing fine. His commitment to Gabriella had only grown; they still acted like newlyweds and Troy still woke up everyday wanting nothing more than see her face.

He turned off the car in front of their house. It still amazed him how beautiful the house looked. It was a large, two story with a wrap around porch house, surrounded by trees and flowers Gabriella treated like babies. Peanut, the family's black and white dog was running like crazy around a tree, sniffing every now and then in search for the perfect spot to release herself. Troy smiled as the dog stared at him with a grin on its face and forgetting about his necessities, ran to his car.

"What's up babydoll," he greeted softly, touching a hand to Peanut's big head as she followed him to the front door. "It's cold," he commented lightly and the dog barked its approval. Troy smiled a half-smile, pushing the door open and stepping inside the warmth of the room. Automatically he heard a loud cry and then a laugh.

"No, no, no. You're not supposed to eat the dolls, we play with them."

He made his way to the family room, grinning as he spotted his two little girls playing on the floor. Troy took a minute to just lean on the wall and observe how adorable they looked. Emerson was lean and tall and looked exactly like him. At age 4, her hair was a light brown, but her eyes were still big and the most beautiful mixture of green and brown he had ever seen. She was no longer shy, on the contrary, it was hard to make her stop talking. She was intelligent and curious, and still crazy about cats.

Lola, their 16 months old daughter was the spitting image of Gabriella. Her baby hair was dark like her mother's and spiky, her face round and cheeks constantly flushed pink. She was a chubby baby, with the cutest giggle ever.

"No, Lola. She's gonna cry. You'll hurt her." Emerson pouted, looking shocked as the baby didn't seem to mind if she'd hurt the doll or not, continuing eating and drooling over the plastic hand.

"Lo, the doll's not a cookie." Troy said as a matter-of-fact, pushing from the wall, knowing his duty as his daughter's hero was to save her favorite doll from a hungry baby. Emerson looked up and her eyes blinked with surprise as she saw Troy, "Daddy, you're home." she stood up and threw herself in Troy's arms as he bent down to give her a hug.

Troy loved to see his daughters reaction every time he got home. They always acted like they haven't seem him for ages instead of the few hours he stayed at school. He brushed his lips against Emerson's and she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Hi baby."

"Daddy, we saw Santa today." she said animatedly, moving up and down on his arms. "He was at the mall, mama said he was shopping."

"Really?"

"Yes. She said he sometimes needs to buy presents, too."

Troy chuckled lightly, "Well, your mama is usually right."

He felt tiny arms wrapping around his leg in an attempt to get his attention too. He grinned as he looked down at Lola and the baby clapped hands, hopping up and down. "How's my little bunny today?" with his free arm, he scooped Lola up and brushed a kiss to her nose. She giggled that sweet sound of hers and cupped his cheek. "Dada."

"Hi angel." with his two daughters in his arms, he looked around, in search of his wife. "Where's mama?"

"Room." Emerson ran one hand through her dad's hair, "Can we watch a DVD?"

"Yes, go ahead." Troy put them back on the floor, observing how his older daughter ran to the TV and turned it on. The girl was extremely smart for a four year old. Feeling his heart swell with joy as Lola sat down beside her big sister to watch TV, he turned around and walked towards his room.

Gabriella was not there, but he could hear the faint noise of water. He smiled as he turned the bed around, his hand closing around the knob and pushing quietly the bathroom's door open. His Ellie was inside the tub, eyes closed, long hair down around her shoulders and covering the breasts he liked so much. She didn't move when he shut the door behind him and he considered the possibility of her being asleep. Troy quickly stripped out of his clothes and got in the tub. He positioned himself in front of Gabriella and touched large hands to the side of her body.

Her eyes popped open in surprise, but a calm smile curled on her lips. "Baby, you're home."

Troy's hands ran up and down her body, slowly, soothing. He nodded once, bringing her body closer to his. "I missed you."

Gabriella grinned, moving to sit on his lap and touching her nose to his, "I always miss you."

His grin mirrored hers. Troy closed his eyes and leaned against the tub when her fingertips ran through his hair. Gabriella kissed his throat softly, wrapping arms around his stomach.

He immediately felt something was wrong with her. Troy knew it, he could feel her trembling slightly against his body. He cupped her chin, and she felt obligated to stare into that piercing blue eyes. She swallowed and bit her bottom lip, just a second before she leaned and closed the gap between their mouths.

The kiss was intense and passionate, her eager hands searched for him at the same time her tongue explored his mouth. Their bodies moved in earnest and Troy connected her previous trembling to simple lust.

"Make love to me, Troy." Gabriella whispered and he found herself quickly aroused. Her lips traveled from his mouth, across his jaw and to his earlobe. She squeezed the sensitive skin with her teeth and he groaned with pleasure.

"Baby... Ellie." he said her pet-name as he invaded her body and began his movements. She was conscious enough to glue her mouth to his chest to avoid screaming while he filled her over and over again. Gabriella curled her fingertips around his shoulder, bruising his skin, letting the passion she felt pass from her body to his. With head tilted back, she closed her eyes and purred quietly.

His hands cupped her exposed breasts, his fingers teased the already hard nipples, his lips brushed her face lovingly. Troy groaned his release against her mouth and Gabriella had a handful of his hair as she came to hers, as well.

Their unsteady breaths rocked their bodies to calmness. His eyes shut as exhaustion overcame self. Troy's stomach tied up in knots as she began trembling again. He took a deep breath and squeezed her in a hug. "What's wrong?"

"Christmas is coming,"

"I know."

"And we still have to do so many things." she hid her face into the crook of his neck, hot air that escaped from her lips tickled his skin. "Emmy and Lola are so excited about it, and our parents are coming..."

"El."

"No, Troy. This is hard work." she protested, "There's so much to do."

Troy gently pushed her back so he could see her face and his heart accelerated when she looked at him with wide eyes and pale lips. He kissed her mouth lightly and cupped her cheeks, "What's wrong?" he asked again, patiently.

"I'm pregnant."

"Baby number 3?" he asked, surprised that was the reason she was so nervous. So he was going to be a daddy again?

"It's too early I know. Lola is only a year, but it happened." Gabriella said in a whisper. Time seemed to slow down as she watched his facial expression, trying to guess what he was thinking. She finally gave up – Troy sometimes was so hard to read. "Are you mad? I know you said you wanted more babies, but-"

He silenced her with a kiss on the lips and Gabriella relaxed against and around him. "Damn right I said that." and then he grinned and kissed her noisily on the lips again, "I love you so much."

Gabriella laughed and wrapped arms around his neck, "I thought for a second that you were regretting it. How silly I am." she added when he lifted a single eyebrow, "Our life, me, the babies."

"Are you kidding me?" he laughed in disbelief, hugging her tight. "I wouldn't change you or our little monsters for the world."

"I know." They kissed one more time and Troy touched a hand to her flat stomach, always impressed there was life inside of it, "I hope it's a boy this time." Gabriella said playfully and he grinned, looking up at her with dreamy eyes.

"I hope it's a girl." he commented, "And that she looks exactly like her mama."

Her hand traveled to the side of his body where his flames tattoo was. Troy's moved to her flower. Their eyes locked. Since the start of it all, they marked each others lives. Fate united Troy and Gabriella. A mistake broke them up. Love brought them back together. And ink, more than any promise, would show them everyday, for the rest of their lives, who they belonged to.

"I love you." Troy whispered his feelings. Gabriella smiled and nodded, "Till death do us part."

"**I wouldn't change the words,  
I told you I'd be true,  
I wouldn't let you go,  
I promise that to you.  
****I wouldn't change a thing.**"


End file.
